General  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

From  a  Woodcut 


Edward   Fitzgerald 
Beale 

A  Pioneer  in  the  Path  of  Empire 
1822-1903 


By 

Stephen  Bonsai 


With  17  Illustrations 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and  London 
Imicfeerbocfcer  press 

1912 


COPYRIGHT,  1912 

BY 
TRUXTUN  BEALE 


Ube  -Knickerbocker  press,  Ikew  J2orfc 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 

EDWARD  FITZGERALD  BEALE,  whose 
life  is  outlined  in  the  following  pages,  was 
a  remarkable  man  of  a  type  we  shall  never 
see  in  America  again.  A  grandson  of  the  gallant 
Truxtun,  Beale  was  born  in  the  Navy  and  his  early 
life  was  passed  at  sea.  However,  he  fought  with 
the  army  at  San  Pasqual  and  when  night  fell  upon 
that  indecisive  battlefield,  with  Kit  Carson  and 
an  anonymous  Indian,  by  a  daring  journey  through 
a  hostile  country,  he  brought  to  Commodore 
Stockton  in  San  Diego,  the  news  of  General 
Kearny's  desperate  situation. 

Beale  brought  the  first  gold  East,  and  was  truly, 
in  those  stirring  days,  what  his  friend  and  fellow- 
traveller  Bayard  Taylor  called  him,  "a  pioneer  in 
the  path  of  empire."  Resigning  from  the  Navy, 
Beale  explored  the  desert  trails  and  the  mountain 
passes  which  led  overland  to  the  Pacific,  and  later 
he  surveyed  the  routes  and  built  the  wagon  roads 
over  which  the  mighty  migration  passed  to  people 
the  new  world  beyond  the  Rockies. 

As  Superintendent  of  the  Indians,  a  thankless 
office  which  he  filled  for  three  years,  Beale  initiated 
a  policy  of  honest  dealing  with  the  nation's  wards 


240757 


iv  Introductory  Note 

which  would  have  been  even  more  successful  than 
it  was  had  cordial  unfaltering  support  always  been 
forthcoming  from  Washington. 

Beale  was,  rare  combination!  both  pioneer  and 
empire  builder.  He  was  also  a  man  of  catholic 
interests.  He  was  beloved  by  Carson  and  by 
Benton,  a  scout  and  a  senator,  and  was  esteemed 
by  men  as  widely  apart  as  his  life-long  friend  Gen 
eral  Grant  and  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph,  at 
whose  court  Beale  represented  all  that  was  best  in 
his  native  land. 

As  a  boy  the  writer  worshipped  the  great  Indian 
fighter  "Who  won  California"  and  held  it  against 
innumerable  Mexican  lancers,  and  who  had 
brought  home  the  gold  in  the  Patent  Office  we  used 
to  gaze  at  with  wide-open  eyes  on  Saturday  after 
noons;  but,  for  whatever  intimate  touches  the 
following  pages  may  reveal  the  reader  is  indebted, 
as  is  the  writer,  to  Rear- Admiral  John  H.  Upshur 
and  to  Rear-Admiral  David  B.  Harmony,  Beale's 
distinguished  shipmates,  to  Hon.  Truxtun  Beale, 
a  son  of  the  pioneer  and  of  California,  and  to  the 
late  Mr.  Harris  Heap  who  wrote  the  narrative  of 
Beale's  journey  across  the  plains  in  1853. 

STEPHEN  BONSAL. 
BEDFORD,  N.  Y.,  January  6,  1912. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I — EARLY  DAYS 

Birth  and  Parentage — Born  in  the  Navy — A  Fistic  Encounter 
and  its  Consequences — A  Jacksonian  Midshipman  at  Four 
teen — On  the  Schoolship  Independence — Passed  Midshipman 
and  Ordered  to  the  Congress  44  as  Acting  Master — Secret 
Mission  for  Commodore  Stockton — Tradition  of  the  Service 
— British  Designs  on  California  ...... 

CHAPTER  II — THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Secretary  Bancroft's  Instructions  to  Commodore  Stockton  upon 
Taking  Command  of  the  Pacific  Squadron — The  Situation  in 
California — The  Army  of  the  West  at  Fort  Leavenworth — 
General  Wool — Kearny  at  Santa  Fe — The  Meeting  with  Kit 
Carson — Kearny  Pushes  on  to  California — Battle  of  San  Pas- 
qual — Beale  Commands  the  Guns — Mexicans  in  Overwhelm 
ing  Force — Kearny  in  Straits — Beale  and  Carson  Undertake 
Desperate  Journey  Bringing  Nows  to  Stockton — The  Relief 
Column — Benton's  Speech  in  the  Senate — His  Tribute  to 
Beale— Beale's  First  Visit  to  San  Francisco  Bay  in  the  Fall  of 
1846— His  Letter  to  Fremont 

.CHAPTER  III — WITH  CARSON  ON  THE  GIL  A 

Beale  the  Hero  of  San  Pasqual — Commodore  Stockton's  Des 
patches  and  the  Praise  of  his  Brother  Officers— Beale  and 
Carson  Set  Out  across  the  Plains  to  Carry  the  News  to  Wash 
ington — General  Sherman's  Picture  of  Carson — Adventures 
on  the  Gila — Dogged  by  Indians  for  Eight  Hundred  Miles  on 
the  Central  Plains — "Them's  Arrers" — Lions  in  St.  Louis 
and  Washington — A  Short  Holiday — Back  across  the  Plains 
Again — Incredible  Hardships  in  the  Gila  Country — Beale  Dis- 


vi  Contents 

PAGE 

covers  or  Divines  the  Santa  Fe  Trail — The  Rev.  Colton  as  Al 
calde  of  Monterey — The  Milch  Cow  "  Eschews  "  to  the  Court 
— Sutter's  Mill-Race  and  the  Golden  Sands — Conditions  of 
Life  in  El  Dorado — The  Rev.  Colton's  Complaint  and  Prayer 
ful  Hope — Beale  as  a  Caricaturist — The  Alleged  Resentment 
of  Catesby  Jones — Story  of  Gold  in  California — Competition 
between  the  Army  and  Navy  to  Get  the  News  East — 
Beale's  Views  on  the  Gold  Question  .....  25 

CHAPTER  IV — BEALE  BRINGS  FIRST  GOLD  EAST 

Beale's  Daring  Journey  across  Mexico  with  the  First  Gold — 
Gente  de  Camino — Mexico  City  and  Minister  Clifford — Fate 
of  Beale's  Guide — Senators  Foote  and  Benton  Hear  the  Won 
derful  Story — William  Carey  Jones's  Account  of  Journey  in 
National  Intelligencer — Beale  Introduced  to  the  United  States 
Senate — Wise  "  Stay-at-Homes  "  Show  Incredulity — Beale 
Walks  down  Wall  Street  with  Mr.  Aspinwall — P.  T.  Barnum 
Wants  to  Exhibit  the  Gold— But  Half  the  Treasure  is  Fash 
ioned  into  an  Engagement  Ring — Courting  at  Chester — 
Ammen's  Letter  to  the  Young  Argonaut — On  the  Trail 
Again — Letter  from  Big  Timber — Beale's  Description  of  his 
Route  across  the  Continent — Along  the  Thirty-fifth  Parallel — 
Old  Trail  Develops  into  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  Rail 
road — Chronological  Table  of  Beale's  Early  Travels — Mar 
riage  with  Miss  Edwards  —  Arctic  Expedition  Proposed — 
Letters  from  Captain  Lynch  and  Commodore  Maury — 
Bayard  Taylor  Dedicates  his  Book  on  California  to  Beale — 
Beale  Resigns  from  the  Service — He  Retrieves  the  Business 
Ventures  of  Commodore  Stockton  and  Mr.  Aspinwall  .  .  42 

CHAPTER  V — FIRST  STEPS  IN  OUR  INDIAN  POLICY 

Lieutenant  Beale  Appointed  by  President  Fillmore  General  Super 
intendent  of  Indian  Affairs  for  California  and  Nevada — Con 
gress  Appropriates  Two  Hundred  and  Fifty  Thousand  Dollars 
to  Carry  into  Effect  Beale's  Plans— Indian  Tribes  to  be  Col 
onized  and  Protected  on  Reservations — Beale's  Journey  from 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  to  California  along  the  Central 
Route  as  Described  by  Himself  and  Mr.  Heap — Westport, 
Kansas,  and  the  "Stirrup  Cup-" — Fort  Atkinson  and  Pike's 
Peak  and  the  Huerfano  River — Plains  of  the  Arkansas  and 
Fort  Massachusetts  .......  .64 


Contents  vii 


CHAPTER  VI — ACROSS  THE  PLAINS  IN  '53 

From  Coochatope  Pass  to  Grand  River — A  Taste  of  Mountain 
Sheep — The  Great  Divide — Murderous  Work  of  Utah  In 
dians — Arrival  at  the  Uncompagre  River — The  Swollen  Fork 
of  the  Colorado— Raft  Built  and  Abandoned— The  Slough  of 
Despond — Building  a  Canoe — Forlorn  Plight  of  Pack  Mules 
— Shipwreck  and  Inventory  of  Losses — Expedition  Separated 
by  River  but  United  by  Common  Misfortunes — Gallant  Swim 
mers — Beale  Decides  to  Send  to  Taos  in  New  Mexico  to 
Replenish  his  Supplies — Mr.  Heap's  Journey  to  the  Settle 
ments — A  Miserable  Night — "Peg-Leg"  and  the  Venerable 
Utah — The  Lonely  Squaw — Arrival  at  Taos — Mr.  Leroux  and 
Supplies  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .84 

CHAPTER  VII — BEALE'S  SEPARATE  JOURNAL 

Hunting  Prowess  of  the  Delaware — Indians  Appear  in  Camp — 
Banquet  of  Venison  and  Boiled  Corn — The  Beautiful  Valley 
of  the  Savoya — The  Indians  Race  their  Horses — A  Taste  of 
Rough  Riding — The  Return  of  Mr.  Heap  .  .  .  .112 

CHAPTER  VIII — ON  THE  VERGE  OF  HOSTILITIES 

Shaking  Hands  with  Utahs — Picturesque  Encampment  on  the  Big 
Uncompagre — Lieutenant  Beale  and  the  "Capitanos" — A 
Stiff  Demand  for  Presents — A  Pair  of  Game-cocks — Crossing 
the  Fallen  River — Indians  in  Paint  and  Feathers — Beale's 
Ultimatum — The  Delaware's  Long  Memory — Grand  River 
Canyon — The  Crossing — The  Indians  Attempt  a  Stampede — 
The  Mormons  near  the  Vegas  of  Santa  Clara — Paragoona — 
Brigham  Young — Why  the  Mormons  Settled  at  Parawan — 
Little  Salt  Lake — Strict  Vigilance  over  Strangers — Colonel 
Smith — The  Practice  of  Polygamy — Views  on  the  System  of 
"Spiritual  Wives" .  122 

CHAPTER  IX — THE  DESERT  JOURNEY 

The  Mormon  Wagon  Trail — Joy  of  the  Pah-Utahs — Famous 
Horse  Thieves — The  Traffic  in  Children — Rio  de  la  Virgen— 
The  First  Jornada — Muddy  Creek  and  the  Spring  of  Gaetan — 
Pah-Utah  Billingsgate — The  End  of  a  Mormon  Explorer — 
The  Second  Jornada — Twenty  Hours  without  Water — The 


viii  Contents 


PACK 

Oasis  of  Tio  Meso — The  Mohaveh  River — The  Valley  of  the 
Santa  Ana — San  Bernardino  Mountain — The  Settlements  and 
Los  Angeles — Benton's  Letters  and  Congratulations  .  .  147 

CHAPTER  X — INDIAN  AFFAIRS 

State  of  the  Indians  in  the  Pacific  Coast  Territories — Indians  Held 
to  Peonage  by  the  Whites — Fifteen  Thousand  Die  of  Starva 
tion — Spaniards  and  Mexicans  as  Slave  Drivers — Beale's  Plan 
of  Protected  Reservations  for  the  Nation's  Wards — Mr. 
Sebastian  Supports  the  Plan  in  the  Senate,  and  Secures  the 
Desired  Appropriation — Beale's  Indian  Policy  Endorsed  by 
the  Military  and  Civil  Officials  in  California — General 
Hitchcock's  Letter — Opposition  of  Indian  Agents — Mas 
sacres  in  Shasta  and  Scott  Valley — General  Rising  of  the 
Indians  Feared — Beale  Commissioned  Brigadier -General — 
As  Peace  Plenipotentiary  Brings  the  Warlike  Tribes  to 
Terms — Beale's  Defence  of  the  Modocs  .  .  .  .174 

CHAPTER  XI — THE  FORGOTTEN  CAMEL  CORPS 

Transportation  Problems  of  the  Fifties — To  Provision  Army 
Posts  in  Southwest,  Beale  Suggests  Camel  Trains  to  the  War 
Department — Enthusiastic  Reception  of  the  Novel  Idea  by 
Secretary  Jefferson  Davis — David  Dixon  Porter  Sent  to  Tunis 
and  Syria  to  Secure  the  Camels — Camel  Corps  in  the  Scinde 
Campaign — Beale's  Report  to  the  War  Department  of  his 
Camel  Journey  from  San  Antonio  to  El  Paso — San  Francisco 
Papers  Enthusiastic  over  the  New  Beast  of  Burden — Davis 
Resigns  from  the  War  Department  and  the  Camels  are  Neg 
lected — Beale  Herds  the  Survivors  on  his  Ranch — A  Camel 
Tandem — Value  of  Beale's  Journals  to  Future  Historians  of 
the  Southwestern  and  Pacific  States  .  .  .  .  .198 

CHAPTER  XII — THE  WAGON  ROAD  SURVEY  FROM  FORT 
DEFIANCE  TO  CALIFORNIA 

General  Beale's  Report  to  the  Secretary  of  War — From  Zuni  to  the 
Banks  of  the  Little  Colorado — Praise  of  the  Camels,  Especi 
ally  their  Swimming  —  Extracts  from  Beale's  Journal  — 
Howard's  Spring,  Famous  for  Indian  Massacres — Water 
Shortage — Mount  Buchanan  and  Mount  Benton — Indian  Ad 
venture  of  a  Geologist — Captured  Indians  Retained  as  Guides 


Contents  ix 


to  the  Colorado — First  Sight  of  the  Sierra  Nevada — Winter  at 
Fort  Tejon — The  Return  Journeys-First  Steamer  on  the 
Colorado — Last  Entry  in  the  Journal — "We  Have  Tested  the 
Value  of  the  Camel,  Marked  a  New  Road  to  the  Pacific  and 
Travelled  Four  Thousand  Miles" 211 

CHAPTER  XIII — THE  JOURNEY  ALONG  THE  35™  PARALLEL 

Beale's  Official  Report — Railway  Surveys  from  Fort  Smith,  Ar 
kansas,  to  the  Colorado — Choteau's  and  the  Valley  of  the 
Canadian — The  Rio  del  Norte  at  Albuquerque — Advantages 
of  this  Route  for  Wagon  or  Railroads — Extracts  from  Beale's 
Journal — Inscription  Rock — Breakfast  of  Wild  Cat — A  Visit 
to  Zuni— Advice  to  the  Chief — "A  Merrie  Jest  of  Ye  White 
Man  and  Ye  Indian  " — Indian  Rumors  and  a  Treaty  of  Peace 
— Civil  War  and  the  Close  of  the  Wagon  Road  Period — 
"Wanderer"  Writes  about  it  from  Gum  Springs  to  the  Phila 
delphia  Press — The  Pacific  Railroad  as  a  Government  Project 
— Santa  Fe  Traders — Praise  of  Beale  as  Pioneer  and  Road 
Builder  ..........  230 

CHAPTER  XIV — GENERAL  BEALE  AS  SURVEYOR-GENERAL 

Lincoln  Appoints  Beale  Surveyor-General  of  California  and 
Nevada — Plans  of  the  Secessionists — Beale  Persuades  Lincoln 
not  to  Enforce  the  Draft  in  California — Weathering  the  Crisis 
— Beale's  Letter  to  the  President  Volunteering  for  Service  in 
the  Field — His  Views  on  the  Cause  and  Probable  Conse 
quences  of  Civil  War  Published  by  the  Philadelphia  Press — 
"The  Fate  of  the  Commons  of  the  World  Depends  Upon  the 
Issue  of  the  Struggle" — Beale's  Letter  to  Secretary  Chase 
Favoring  Acquisition  of  Lower  California  by  United  States 
— Chase's  Reply — Letters  from  the  Mexican  General  Vega — 
Beale's  Sympathies  With  the  Liberal  Though  Fugitive  Govern 
ment  across  the  Border — Grant  and  Beale  Contrive  to  Send 
Muskets  to  Juarez — President  Diaz's  Recognition  in  after 
Years  of  Beale's  Assistance  in  this  the  Hour  of  Need  .  .  256 

CHAPTER  XV— LIFE  ON  THE  TEJON  RANCHO 

Beale  Resigns  as  Surveyor-General  and  Retires  to  Tejon — Pur 
chases  more  Land  from  Absentee  Landlords — Description  of 
the  Bakersfield  Country  when  Kern  County  Was  a  Wilder- 


x  Contents 

PAGE 

ness — The  Spring,  the  Fig-trees  and  the  Live  Oaks — A  Rodeo 
— Robber  Bands — Nearest  Justice  150  Miles  Away! — Sale  of 
Sheep  in  San  Francisco — Mexicans  Who  Panned  for  Gold 
Before  the  Forty-niners — Lincoln  and  Beale  Anecdotes — 
"Monarch  of  all  he  Surveys" — Charles  Nordhoff's  Visit  to 
Tejon — Description  of  Life  there — His  Praise  of  what  Gen 
eral  Beale  Had  Accomplished — Kit  Carson's  Ride  by  Joaquin 
Miller— Beale  Falls  Foul  of  the  Poet— Sad  Scenes  on  the 
Rancho  .  .  .  .-  .  .  .  .  .  .  272 

CHAPTER  XVI — LAST  YEARS 

General  Beale  Purchases  the  Decatur  House — Its  Distinguished 
Occupants  and  Ghost  Story — Beale's  Political  Activity — His 
Untiring  Efforts  to  Help  the  Negro — Appointed  by  Grant 
Minister  to  Austria — Newspaper  Comment  in  California — A 
Bill  of  Sale  from  Slavery  Days — Awkward  Diplomatic  Sit 
uation — The  Emperor  and  Count  Andrassy — Friendship  of 
Grant  and  Beale — Their  Correspondence  Published — Arthur 
Fails  to  Appoint  Beale  Secretary  of  the  Navy — Grant's  Re 
sentment — Beale  Ends  the  Grant-Blaine  Feud — Last  Days 
— Beale's  Death — Scenes  in  Washington  and  on  the  Tejon 
Rancho  ..........  291 

INDEX  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .     307 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PACK 

GENERAL  EDWARD  FITZGERALD  BEALE    .       Frontispiece 

From  a  Woodcut 

COMMODORE  ROBERT  F.  STOCKTON  ...        8 

From  an  Engraving  by  H.  B.  Hall 
After  a  Painting  on  Ivory  by  Newton  in  1840 

THE  CITY  AND  HARBOR  OF  Rio  DE  JANEIRO     .         ,       10 

From  a  Lithograph 

THE  HARBOR  OF  VALPARAISO          ....       20 

From  a  Lithograph 

THE  CITY  OF  LIMA         ......       30 

From  a  Lithograph 

THE  HARBOR  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO  IN  NOVEMBER,  1849      38 

From  a  Lithograph  of  1850 

MAZATLAN 42 

From  a  Lithograph  of  1850 

THE  VOLCANO  DIGGINGS 60 

From  a  Lithograph  of  1850 

GENERAL  B  BALE'S  FIRST  CAMP  IN  THE  SANGRE  DE 

CRISTO  MOUNTAINS         ...  76 

From  a  Lithograph 

GRAND  RIVER,  BELOW  THE  JUNCTION  OF  THE  UNCOM- 

PAGRE 80 

From  a  Lithograph 
xi 


xii  Illustrations 


THE  LOWER  BAR,  MOKELUMNE  RIVER     ...      86 

From  a  Lithograph  of  1850 

THE  METHOD  OF  CROSSING  LACUNA  CREEK     .         .      90 

From  a  Lithograph 

A  VIEW  ON  GRAND  RIVER  IN  1852  .         .         .         .128 

From  a  Lithograph 

SAN  FRANCISCO  IN  1846 200 

From  a  Lithograph 

SACRAMENTO  CITY,  FROM  THE  SOUTH,  IN  1849  .    .214 

From  a  Lithograph 

PORTSMOUTH  SQUARE,  SAN  FRANCISCO     .         .        .     240 

From  a  Lithograph  in  1 850 

KIT  CARSON  STATUE 270 

Frederick  MacMonnies,  Sculptor 

A  VIEW  OF  MONTEREY 278 

From  a  Lithograph  of  1850 

KIT  CARSON'S  GUN  288 


Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 


EDWARD  FITZGERALD  BEALE 


CHAPTER  I 
EARLY  DAYS 

Beale's  Birth  and  Parentage — Born  in  the  Navy — A  Fistic 
Encounter  and  its  Consequences — A  Jacksonian  Mid 
shipman  at  Fourteen — On  the  Schoolship  Independ 
ence — Passed  Midshipman  and  Ordered  to  the  Congress 
44  as  Acting  Master — Secret  Mission  for  Commodore 
Stockton — Tradition  of  the  Service — British  Designs 
on  California. 

EDWARD  FITZGERALD  BEALE  was  born 
on  his  father's  estate  in  the  District  of 
Columbia  on  February  4,  1822.  He  was 
the  son  of  Paymaster  George  Beale1  who  served 
with  distinction  under  McDonough  in  the  Battle 
of  Lake  Champlain  and  of  Emily  the  youngest 
daughter  of  Commodore  Truxtun  of  the  Constel 
lation.  As  the  son  and  the  grandson  of  distin 
guished  naval  officers,  young  Beale  had  what  was 
regarded  in  the  old  Navy  as  a  prescriptive  right 
to  enter  the  service  and  this  was  also  his  wish  from 
earliest  years.  With  the  advent  of  Jackson  and 

1  See  note  on  next  page. 


,2.  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

with  Democracy  installed  in  power  as  never  before 
since  the  foundation  of  the  Government,  the  pre 
scriptive  rights  of  the  old  naval  families  were,  how 
ever,  being  brushed  aside  and  the  claims  and  hopes 
of  young  "Ned"  Beale  might  also  have  been  over 
looked  but  for  a  fortunate  and  characteristic  inci 
dent  which  I  shall  relate  as  it  is  recorded  in  the 
family  archives. 

The  boys  at  the  Capital,  where  the  Beales 
spent  their  winters  at  this  time,  were  much  given 
to  politics,  and  their  ranks  were  divided  by  alleg 
iance  to  antagonistic  statesmen. 

Fortunately  for  himself,  our  hero  at  this  moment 
was  a  stalwart  Jacksonian.  There  were  many 
adherents  of  Adams  at  the  Capital  and  after  hot 
disputes  it  was  agreed  to  have  all  political  differ 
ences  settled  by  the  ancient  test  of  battle. 

"Ned"  Beale  was  chosen  by  the  Jacksonians, 
while  the  Adamites  were  represented  by  a  boy 
named  Evans,  who  has  since  become  a  distin 
guished  citizen  of  Indiana.  A  day  or  two  later, 
the  fistic  encounter  took  place  under  a  long  white 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT, 

Feb.  10,  1820. 
SIR: 

In  compliance  with  a  resolution  of  Congress,  I  am  directed  by  the 
President  to  present  to  you  a  silver  medal  as  a  testimony  of  the  high 
sense  entertained  by  Congress  of  your  gallantry,  good  conduct,  and 
services  in  the  decisive  and  splendid  victory  gained  on  Lake  Cham  plain 
on  the  nth  of  September,  1814,  over  a  British  squadron  of  superior 
force. 

Yours  most  respectfully, 

SMITH  THOMPSON,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
To  GEORGE  BEALE,  Esq.,  Paymaster  U.  S.  Navy. 


Early  Days  3 

arch  which  at  that  time  marked  the  southern 
entrance  to  the  grounds  of  the  White  House. 
While  the  battle  raged  and  the  enthusiastic  spec 
tators  shouted  encouragement  to  their  respective 
champions,  a  tall  figure  appeared  on  the  scene, 
scattered  the  boys,  and  seizing  Beale  by  the  collar 
asked  him  what  he  was  fighting  for.  He  replied 
that  he  was  fighting  for  Jackson  and  that  his 
opponent,  the  Adams  boy,  had  expressed  a  poor 
opinion  of  the  President's  politics  and  personality. 

"I  am  Jackson,"  said  the  newcomer.  "I  never 
forget  the  men  or  boys  who  are  willing  to  fight  for 
me,  but  of  course  I  do  not  wish  them  to  do  it  all 
the  time.  Now  put  on  your  coats/' 

Several  years  now  elapsed  which  Beale  spent 
at  Georgetown  College,  but  when  he  reached  his 
fourteenth  year,  the  desire  to  enter  the  Navy 
became  overwhelming.  One  afternoon  he  called 
at  the  White  House  with  his  mother  to  see  General 
Jackson  and  put  in  an  application  for  a  midship 
man's  warrant.  Mrs.  Beale  told  her  story,  insisting 
upon  the  fact  that  her  boy  was  the  son  and  the 
grandson  of  men  who  had  served  their  country 
and  had  been  wounded  in  battle. 

Jackson  listened  with  courtesy  and  with  interest, 
but  seemed  somewhat  uncertain  as  to  how  he 
should  act  upon  the  request.  Suddenly  the  boy 
interrupted  his  mother  and  said,  "  Mother,  let  me 
speak  to  General  Jackson  in  my  own  behalf." 
He  then  approached  the  General,  in  a  moment 
reminding  him  of  the  fight  and  the  promise  he 


4  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

had  made,  at  least  by  implication,  to  serve  him 
should  the  opportunity  present.  Without  a 
word,  General  Jackson  tore  off  the  back  of  a 
letter  lying  near  him  (this  was  before  the  days 
of  envelopes)  and  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  "Give  this  boy  an  immediate  warrant," 
and  handed  it  over  to  Mrs.  Beale.  A  few  hours 
later,  Ned  Beale's  name  was  on  the  Navy  list 
and  soon  he  was  on  his  way  to  the  receiving  ship 
at  Philadelphia,  which  then  served  as  a  Naval 
School. 

The  Widow  Beale  now  returned  with  her  trium 
phant  boy  to  Chester,  Pa.,  when  suddenly  the 
problem  presented  itself,  in  what  guise  should  the 
youngster  make  his  first  appearance  at  the  Naval 
School?  She  called  in  her  kinsmen,  the  Porters 
and  the  Farraguts,  who  both  were  neighbors  at 
Greenbank  on  the  Delaware,  and  at  their  sugges 
tion  Aunt  Polly  was  called  in.  Aunt  Polly  was 
well  known  in  Chester  as  an  impoverished  gentle 
woman  who  had  seen  better  days.  She  did  needle 
work,  and  it  was  thought  that  with  care  and  by  the 
advice  of  several  of  the  young  officers  of  the  family, 
who  were  at  home  on  leave,  she  could  bring 
together  something  resembling  a  uniform,  and 
indeed  a  most  wonderful  coat  was  produced,  which 
was  fitted  out  with  the  buttons  of  the  great  Truxtun, 
large  metal  buttons  about  five  times  as  large  as 
those  which  were  ordinarily  worn  in  this  day.  In 
this  guise,  three  days  later,  Beale  presented  him 
self  on  board  the  receiving  ship.  His  future  mess- 


Early  Days  5 

mates  made  great  fun  of  the  wonderful  coat. 
Many  fights  ensued,  and  as  a  result,  the  treasured 
heirlooms,  the  buttons  which  Truxtun  had  worn, 
it  is  said,  on  the  occasion  of  his  famous  battle 
when  in  command  of  the  Constellation,  disap 
peared.  The  essential  had  been  achieved,  how 
ever,  and  "Ned"  Beale  had  fought  his  way  into 
the  Navy. 

Beale's  career  on  the  schoolship  Independence 
was  creditable  and  gave  promise  of  his  later  per 
formance.  Before  he  was  sixteen,  he  had  twice 
risked  his  life  in  saving  from  drowning  the  lives  of 
others ;  he  was  regarded  as  pugnacious  by  his  class 
mates  and  by  his  teachers  but  not  excessively  so 
for  a  midshipman  who  owed  his  appointment  to 
the  personal  selection  of  Andrew  Jackson.  Beale 
made  a  cruise  to  the  West  Indies  on  the  Porpoise 
and  another  to  the  Mediterranean  on  the  Ohio. 
Returning  to  the  Naval  School  in  Philadelphia  he 
faced  his  examinations  bravely,  was  commended 
for  seamanship  and  his  ability  to  write  good  lucid 
English,  and  then  received  his  commission  as 
Passed  Midshipman. 

In  August,  1845,  Beale  was  ordered  to  the  frig 
ate  Congress  44  fitting  out  in  Norfolk,  Virginia, 
for  the  Pacific  Coast.  He  was  commissioned 
Acting  Master,  a  grade  since  abolished,  and  now  the 
boyish  days  were  over,  and  the  serious  business 
of  life  began. 

We  now  approach  an  episode  in  Beale's  life 
which  is  certainly  somewhat  unsatisfactory  to  the 


6  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

historian.  Few  youngsters  have  been  entrusted 
with  secret  missions,  still  fewer  have  proved  so 
reticent  as  to  carry  the  secret  to  their  grave,  yet 
this  was  the  case  with  our  young  Acting  Master. 
Little  is  known  of  the  episode  beyond  the 
general  tradition  in  the  service,  of  which  I  shall 
speak  later,  and  for  this  I  am  indebted  to  Rear- 
Admiral  Harmony  and  Rear- Admiral  Upshur, 
Beale's  shipmates,  who  happily  survive.  We  must 
also  do  what  we  can  with  the  information  which  the 
Reverend  Walter  Colton,  the  Chaplain  of  the  Con 
gress,  supplied  in  his  book  descriptive  of  this  cruise, 
which  was  published  in  New  York  in  1850  under 
the  title  of  Deck  and  Port.  One  month  out  from 
Hampton  Roads  he  makes  this  entry  in  his  log: 

We  discovered  this  morning  a  brig  on  our  weather  bow, 
standing  down  for  us,  and  we  hove  to  with  our  main  topsail 
to  the  mast.  She  ran  up  Danish  colors  and  in  an  hour 
hove  to  at  a  cable's  length  under  our  lee-quarter.  We 
lowered  a  boat  and  boarded  her.  She  proved  to  be  the 
brig  Maria,  forty  days  out  from  Rio  Grande  in  Brazil,  and 
bound  for  Antwerp.  The  Captain  wished  to  correct  his 
reckoning,  and  well  he  might,  for  he  was  seven  days  out  of 
his  longitude.  Mr.  Beale,  our  second  Master,  took  passage 
in  her  for  the  United  States  with  despatches.  It  was 
arranged  between  him  and  the  Captain  of  the  brig  that  he 
should  be  put  on  board  the  first  vessel  that  they  might  fall 
in  with  bound  for  an  American  port,  and  that  if  they  fell  in 
with  none,  that  he  should  be  landed  at  Dover,  England. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Maria  sailed  for  many 
weeks  through  an  empty  ocean,  and  without  meet- 


Early  Days  7 

ing  a  sail.  Young  Beale  was  finally  landed  some 
where  on  the  English  coast.  He  went  directly  to 
London,  and  after  a  few  weeks  stay  there  proceeded 
to  the  United  States.  After  twenty-four  hours  in 
Washington,  he  set  out  to  rejoin  his  ship,  which  he 
finally  overtook  in  Callao  harbor  in  Peru  on  the 
8th  of  May. 

Neither  the  Beale  papers  nor  the  records  of  the 
Navy  Department  shed  any  light  whatsoever  upon 
the  purpose  of  Beale's  mission,  or  the  purport  of  the 
despatches  which  he  carried.  It  is  merely  stated 
that  he  arrived  with  information  from  Commodore 
Stockton  who  commanded  the  Congress  and  was 
.going  out  to  the  Pacific  Coast  to  take  command 
of  all  the  naval  forces  there.  Stockton's  orders 
were  to  do  all  within  his  power  to  prepare  for  what 
the  inevitable  conflict  with  Mexico  meant. 

Beale  never  enlightened  his  family  as  to  the 
details  of  this  mission.  He  merely  answered 
proudly  when  repeatedly  questioned,  "I  was  a 
bearer  of  secret  despatches.  Commodore  Stockton 
never  removed  the  seal  of  secrecy  from  my  lips." 

The  tradition  in  the  service  is  that  while  still  in 
the  West  Indies  Commodore  Stockton  secured 
information  in  regard  to  the  movements  of  a 
British  squadron  which  he  deemed  of  the  greatest 
importance  and  detached  Beale  to  carry  the  news 
to  Washington.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  at 
the  time  in  many  circles  our  British  cousins  were 
credited  with  a  design  to  anticipate  the  course  of 
our  manifest  destiny  and  to  acquire  California  them- 


8  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

selves.  When  Stockton  reached  the  Pacific  Coast 
in  the  summer  of  1845  with  the  return  instructions 
which  Beale  brought  him,  covering  the  contingency 
of  British  intervention,  Admiral  Seymour  was 
there  with  a  large  and  powerful  fleet.  However, 
Seymour  behaved  in  a  very  friendly  manner, 
observed  a  waiting  attitude,  and  never  by  word 
or  action  betrayed  the  fact  that  American  annex 
ation  of  the  coveted  territory  was  not  agreeable  to 
his  Government. 


Commodore  Robert  F.  Stockton 

From  an  Engraving  by  H.  B.  Hall 
After  a  painting  on  ivory  by  Newton,  in  1840 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Secretary  Bancroft's  Instructions  to  Commodore  Stockton 
upon  Taking  Command  of  the  Pacific  Squadron — 
The  Situation  in  California — The  Army  of  the  West 
at  Fort  Leavenworth — General  Wool — Kearny  at 
Santa  Fe — The  Meeting  with  Kit  Carson — Kearny 
Pushes  on  to  California — Battle  of  San  Pasqual — 
Beale  Commands  the  Guns  —  Mexicans  in  Over 
whelming  Force  —  Kearny  in  Straits — Beale  and 
Carson  Undertake  Desperate  Journey  Bringing  News 
to  Stockton— The  Relief  Column— Benton's  Speech 
in  the  Senate — His  Tribute  to  Beale — Beale's  First 
Visit  to  San  Francisco  Bay  in  the  Fall  of  1846 — His 
Letter  to  Fremont. 

THE  purpose  of  the  Administration  at  this 
juncture  and  the  situation  in  Mexico  is  well 
described  in  the  instructions  of  Hon.  George 
Bancroft,  the  historian,  then  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
to  Commodore  Stockton  when  this  distinguished 
officer  was  on  the  point  of  sailing  from  Norfolk,  Va., 
on  the  Congress  to  take  command  of  the  Pacific 
Squadron. 

It  is   the  earnest  desire  of  the   President   [writes   Mr. 
Bancroft]  to  pursue  the  policy  of  peace,  and  he  is  anxious 

9 


io  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

that  you  and  every  part  of  your  Squadron  should  be 
assiduously  careful  to  avoid  any  act  which  could  be  con 
strued  into  an  act  of  aggression.  Should  Mexico,  however, 
be  resolutely  bent  on  hostilities  you  will  be  mindful  to 
protect  the  persons  and  the  interests  of  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  and  should  you  ascertain  beyond  a  doubt 
that  the  Mexican  Government  has  declared  war  against  us, 
you  will  employ  the  force  under  your  command  to  the  best 
advantage. 

The  Mexican  ports  on  the  Pacific  are  said  to  be  open  and 
defenceless.  If  you  ascertain  with  certainty  that  Mexico 
has  declared  war  against  the  United  States  you  will  at  once 
blockade  or  occupy  such  ports  as  your  force  may  admit. 

When  Stockton  reached  the  California  coast, 
however,  the  situation  was  somewhat  different. 
By  June,  1846,  war  had  been  declared,  and  after 
driving  the  Mexicans  at  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de 
la  Palma,  General  Taylor  lay  at  Matamoras  await 
ing  definite  instructions  from  Washington  which 
were  slow  in  coming. 

In  the  meantime,  a  small  force,  somewhat  pom 
pously  styled  the  Army  of  the  West,  assembled  at 
Fort  Leavenworth.  It  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
Kearny  who  was  instructed  as  soon  as  his  prepa 
rations  were  made  to  march  into  New  Mexico, 
capture  Santa  Fe,  and  then  proceed  to  California. 
The  Army  of  the  Centre,  a  much  larger  force  under 
command  of  General  Wool,  had  assembled  at 
San  Antonio,  and  was  making  ready  to  march  into 
Chihuahua. 

Kearny,  apparently  oppressed  by  the  fear  that 
the  war  would  be  over  before  he  had  fairly  placed 


o  a 

2  I 

y_,  O 

o  -5 


0) 


The  War  with  Mexico  n 

his  men  in  the  field,  left  Leaven  worth  without 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  one  thousand  men  that  the 
State  of  Missouri  had  been  called  upon  to  furnish 
him.  Kearny  entered  New  Mexico,  and  meeting 
with  little  or  no  resistance,  reached  Santa  Fe  on  the 
1 8th  of  August.  After  raising  the  flag  over  this 
ancient  Spanish  stronghold,  he  issued  a  proclama 
tion  absolving  all  the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico 
from  their  allegiance  to  Mexico,  and  declaring  the 
country  an  integral  portion  of  the  United  States. 
Leaving  word  for  the  Missouri  volunteers  to  join 
General  Wool  on  his  expedition  into  Chihuahua, 
Kearny  now  pushed  on  toward  California,  his 
force  of  regulars  being  reduced  to  three  hundred 
dragoons.  When  eleven  days  out  from  Santa  Fe, 
Kearny  met  Kit  Carson,  the  famous  scout,  who 
with  an  escort  of  sixteen  men  was  on  his  way  to 
Washington  with  despatches.  In  these  despatches 
Commodore  Stockton  and  Colonel  Fremont  an 
nounced  the  conquest  of  California  by  the  forces 
under  their  command,  and  the  institution  of  a  form 
of  civil  government  throughout  the  conquered  ter 
ritory.  This  information  was  correct  in  every  sense 
of  the  word,  but  as  Kearny's  force  was  soon  to  ex 
perience,  the  Californians,  that  is  the  Mexicans  of 
California,  encouraged  by  the  sight  of  the  slender 
force  which  the  United  States  then  had  on  the 
Pacific  Coast,  revolted  and  took  up  arms.  Igno 
rant  of  the  reception  that  was  awaiting  him, 
Kearny  sent  back  East  several  squadrons,  and 
taking  Carson  for  his  guide  pushed  on  with  the 


12  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

remainder  to  the  Colorado  River  which  he  crossed, 
and  marching  northward  reached  the  rancho  of 
Agua  Caliente  on  December  2d. 

Kearny  had  made  Carson  turn  back  with  him, 
and  had  sent  another  scout  on  to  Washington  with 
the  despatches  because  he  desired  the  services  of 
the  best  guide.  It  was  not  a  wise  step  thus  to 
interfere  with  the  plans  of  his  brother  officers,  and 
indeed  Commodore  Stockton  was  his  superior. 
From  this  incident,  in  itself  most  trivial,  dates 
the  jealousy  and  the  discord  which  fills  the  history 
of  the  United  States  for  several  years  with  that 
unseemly  wrangling  that  is  known  under  the  name 
of  the  Stockton-Fremont-Kearny  controversy. 
In  the  court-martial  which  Fremont  demanded  as 
a  result  of  Kearny 's  criticisms,  Lieutenant  Beale 
was  summoned  as  a  witness.  His  testimony  was 
most  favorable  to  Fremont,  and  not  helpful  to 
Kearny's  reputation.  Here  his  connection  with 
the  unhappy  affair  ended,  and  there  will  be  no 
further  reference  to  the  controversy  in  this  narra 
tive. 

From  Agua  Caliente,  Colonel  Kearny  sent  a 
letter  to  Commodore  Stockton  at  San  Diego 
announcing  his  approach,  and  three  days  later, 
when  Kearny  was  but  forty  miles  distant  from 
the  American  naval  base,  he  was  met  by  a  small 
force  of  volunteers  under  Captain  Gillespie,  and 
a  score  of  bluejackets  and  a  field-piece  under  Mid 
shipman  Beale.  Though  in  anything  but  a  secure 
position  himself,  Stockton  had  generously  des- 


The  War  with  Mexico  13 

patched  this  small  force  to  apprise  Kearny  of  the 
changed  conditions,  to  warn  him  of  the  general 
revolt  of  the  Californians,  and  to  assist  him  upon 
his  now  perilous  march  to  the  coast.  The  insur 
gent  Californians  were  at  this  time  encamped  at 
San  Bernardo  and  Stockton  contemplated  attack 
ing  them  when  reinforced,  or  when  Kearny  was 
out  of  his  dangerous  position. 

The  next  news  came  through  a  Mr.  Stokes,  an, 
English  pioneer  of  California,  who  rode  into  San 
Diego  and  announced  that  Kearny  had  attacked 
the  Californians  and  been  worsted.  Upon  cross- 
examination  Stokes  admitted  to  the  anxious  com 
modore  that  the  battle  was  no  concern  of  his,  and 
that  he  had  left  the  field  while  the  result  was  in  some 
doubt  because  he  was  convinced  that  his  position  as 
spectator  was  becoming  dangerous.  Great  uncer 
tainty  and  anxiety  prevailed  now  at  the  naval  base 
in  San  Diego  harbor.  It  was  heightened  by  the 
arrival  of  Alexis  Godey,  the  famous  scout,  who  had 
come  through  from  San  Pasqual,  where  the  battle 
was  fought,  with  a  letter  from  Captain  Turner  upon 
whom  the  command  had  devolved  when  Kearny 
was  wounded.  Turner  stated  that  eighteen  men 
of  the  small  force  had  been  killed,  and  that  there 
were  many  wounded.  "  General  Kearny  is 
among  the  wounded,  but  it  is  hoped  not  dan 
gerously.  Captains  Monroe  and  Johnson,  ist 
Dragoons,  are  killed,  and  Lieut.  Hammond,  ist 
Dragoons,  is  dangerously  wounded. "  In  conclu 
sion,  Turner  asked  that  a  considerable  force  be 


14  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

despatched  to  meet  him  on  the  road  to  San  Diego, 
via  Soledad  and  San  Bernardo. 

Commodore  Stockton  was  impressed  by  the 
gravity  of  this  news  and  it  led  him  to  believe  that 
the  Calif ornian-  Mexicans  were  in  much  greater 
strength  than  had  hitherto  been  reported.  Godey 
came  in  with  Turner's  letter  on  December  7th, 
and  Stockton  was  pushing  preparations  to  march 
with  his  whole  force,  when  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
9th  an  Indian  who  was  known  as  a  body-servant 
of  Beale's  came  into  the  lines  and  reported  that  as 
a  result  of  the  battle  Kearny's  force  was  in  des 
perate  straits.  The  Indian  had  hardly  completed 
his  story  when  Beale  appeared  with  a  more  circum 
stantial  and  intelligent  report.  "  Kearny  has  been 
defeated,"  he  said,  "and  his  whole  force  is  besieged 
on  a  small  hill  of  rocks,  or  mesa,  so  completely 
surrounded  by  the  enemy  that  it  seems  impossible 
for  them  to  escape,  or  to  long  maintain  their  posi 
tion."  Beale  also  reported  that  the  Calif ornians 
were  commanded  by  Don  Andres  Pico,  the  brother 
of  the  Governor,  who  had  proven  himself  to  be  a 
very  capable  and  energetic  officer,  and  that 
Kearny's  men,  when  he  started  out  on  his  mission 
to  obtain  relief,  had  been  reduced  for  some  days 
to  eating  mule  flesh,  and  had  been  without  water 
for  sixty  hours. 

That  was  a  busy  night  in  San  Diego.  Beale 
was  taken  to  the  hospital  where  for  days  he  was 
near  death.  While  the  young  sailor  was  raving 
in  the  hospital,  three  hundred  marines  and  blue- 


The  War  with  Mexico  15 

jackets,  sent  by  Stockton,  pushed  on  through  the 
dark  night,  and  at  dawn  on  the  morning  of  the 
eleventh  they  reached  their  beleaguered  country 
men.  The  enemy,  baffled  of  their  prey,  disap 
peared  with  the  mists  of  the  morning.  The  march 
to  the  sea  was  resumed,  and  that  night  the  little 
band  of  dragoons,  that  had  looked  down  the  very 
jaws  of  death,  entered  San  Diego  in  safety. 

Benton's  speech  before  the  Senate  describing 
the  battle  of  San  Pasqual  and  the  resulting  contro 
versy  between  Stockton,  Kearny,  and  Fremont, 
which  practically  disorganized  the  American  Army 
and  Navy  for  months  to  come,  lasted  I  believe  for 
four  days  and  would  I  know  fill  several  volumes  of 
this  size.  Those  were  spacious  days  in  the  Senate. 
However,  I  cannot  refrain  from  quoting  the  follow 
ing  paragraphs  from  the  speech  of  the  second  day. 
They  deal  very  intimately  with  our  young  hero 
and  as  The  Missouri  Tribune  stated  to  the  open 
Senate,  the  information  concerning  Beale's  heroism 
had  been  secured  by  him  from  Kit  Carson  who  was 
at  the  time  a  guest  in  Benton's  house. 

The  four  days*  siege  of  the  hill  was  the  period  of  interest 
ing  events,  which  it  was  the  duty  of  the  General  to  have 
told,  and  which  he  suppressed  to  keep  up  his  assumed 
character  of  victor.  [Said  Ben  ton]  First,  there  was  the 
capture  of  the  generous  and  daring  Godey,  with  his  two 
companions,  in  full  view  of  Kearny's  camp,  after  his 
adventurous  run  to  San  Diego,  forty  miles,  to  get  aid  for 
Kearny,  and  rapid  return  with  the  tidings  that  it  was 
coming — tidings  which  he  could  not  deliver  because  he  was 
captured  in  view  of  Kearny  by  his  besiegers.  This  fact  had 


1 6  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

to  be  suppressed,  or  the  illusive  cry  of  victory  was  at  an 
end.  It  was  suppressed — doubly  suppressed — not  noticed 
in  the  official  report,  and  not  confessed  on  interrogation 
before  the  court-martial.  Then  there  was  the  chivalry  of 
Don  Andres  Pico,  worthy  of  Castilian  blood,  in  his  conduct 
to  his  enemies.  He  treated  the  captured  men  with  the 
utmost  kindness — Godey  as  a  brother,  because  he  knew  his 
renown,  and  honored  heroism  in  his  person.  He  inquired 
for  the  killed,  and  especially  for  Gillespie,  whom  he  person 
ally  knew,  and  whom  he  had  reported  among  the  dead, 
Godey  told  him  that  he  was  not  dead,  but  badly  lanced, 
and  that  his  servant  in  San  Diego  had  made  up  some 
supplies  for  him,  which  he  had  brought — sugar,  coffee,  tea, 
fresh  linen.  Pico  put  the  supplies  under  a  flag,  and  sent 
them  to  Gillespie,  with  an  invitation  to  come  to  his  camp, 
and  receive  better  treatment  than  he  could  get  on  the  dry 
rocks  of  San  Bernardo;  which  he  did,  and  was  treated  like  a 
brother,  returning  when  he  pleased.  The  same  flag  carried 
a  proposition  to  exchange  prisoners.  Kearny  was  alarmed 
at  it,  and  saw  nothing  in  it,  or  in  the  noble  conduct  to 
Gillespie,  but  a  trick  and  a  lure  to  perfidy.  He  was  afraid 
to  meet  the  flag.  None  of  those  for  whom  he  reserved  the 
honors  of  his  report  to  the  Government  would  venture  to  go. 
There  was  a  lad  present — one  of  those  sent  out  by  Stockton, 
a  midshipman,  the  son  of  a  widow  in  sight  of  this  Capitol, 
the  grandson  of  Truxtun,  and  no  degenerate  scion  of  that 
illustrious  stock:  his  name,  Beale. 

This  lad  volunteered  to  go  and  hear  the  propositions  of 
exchange.  Great  was  the  alarm  at  his  departure.  A  six- 
barrelled  revolver,  in  addition  to  the  sword,  perfectly 
charged  and  capped,  was  stowed  under  his  coat.  Thus 
equipped,  and  well-mounted,  he  set  out,  protected  by  a  flag 
and  followed  by  anxious  eyes  and  palpitating  hearts.  The 
little  river  San  Bernardo  was  crossed  at  a  plunging  gallop, 
without  a  drink,  though  rabid  for  water  both  the  horse  and 
his  rider,  the  rider  having  a  policy  which  the  horse  could  not 


The  War  with  Mexico  17 

comprehend.  Approaching  a  picket-guard,  a  young  alfarez 
(ensign)  came  out  to  inquire  for  what  purpose.  The 
mission  was  made  known,  for  Beale  spoke  Spanish;  and 
while  a  sergeant  was  sent  to  the  General's  tent  to  inform 
him  of  the  flag,  a  soldier  was  despatched  to  the  river  for 
water.  "Hand  it  to  the  gentleman,"  was  the  Castilian 
command.  Beale  put  the  cup  to  his  lips,  wet  them,  in 
token  of  acknowledging  a  civility,  and  passed  it  back;  as 
much  as  to  say,  "we  have  water  enough  on  that  hill."  The 
alfarez  smiled ;  and,  while  waiting  the  arrival  of  Don  Andres, 
a  courteous  dialogue  went  on.  "How  do  you  like  the 
country?"  inquired  the  alfarez.  "Delighted  with  it," 
responded  Beale.  "You  occupy  a  good  position  to  take  a 
wide  view."  "Very  good:  can  see  all  round."  "I  don't 
think  your  horses  find  the  grass  refreshing  on  the  hill." 
"Not  very  refreshing,  but  strong."  There  was,  in  fact,  no 
grass  on  the  hill,  nor  any  shrub  but  the  one  called  wire- 
wood,  from  the  close  approximation  of  its  twigs  to  that 
attenuated  preparation  of  iron  which  is  used  for  making 
knitting-needles,  card- teeth,  fishing-hooks,  and  such  small 
notions;  and  upon  which  wood,  down  to  its  roots,  the 
famished  horses  gleaned  until  compassionate  humanity  cut 
the  halters,  and  permitted  them  to  dash  to  the  river,  and 
its  grassy  bands,  and  become  the  steeds  of  the  foe. 

By  this  time  three  horsemen  were  seen  riding  up,  as  all 
Californians  ride,  at  the  rate  the  famous  Gilpin  rode  when 
he  made  the  last  mile  to  Islington.  Arriving  within  a 
certain  distance,  they  halted,  as  only  Californians  and 
Mamelukes  can  halt :  the  horse,  at  a  pull  of  the  bridle  and 
lever  bit,  thrown  back  upon  his  haunches,  fixed  in  his 
tracks,  and  motionless  as  the  equestrian  statue  of  Peter  the 
Great.  One  of  the  three  advanced  on  foot,  unbuckling  his 
sword  and  flinging  it  twenty  feet  to  the  right.  The  alfarez 
had  departed.  Seeing  the  action  of  the  gentleman,  Beale 
did  the  same — unbuckled  his  sword  and  flung  it  twenty 
feet  to  his  right.  The  swords  were  then  forty  feet  apart. 


1 8  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

But  the  revolver !  there  it  stuck  under  his  coat — unmistak 
able  symptom  of  distrust  or  perfidy — sign  of  intended  or 
apprehended  assassination,  and  outlawed  by  every  code  of 
honor  from  the  field  of  parley.  A  stolen  sheep  on  his  back 
would  have  been  a  jewelled  star  on  his  breast  compared  to 
the  fixed  fact  of  that  assassin  revolver  under  his  midship 
man's  coat.  Confusion  filled  his  bosom;  and  for  a  moment 
honor  and  shame  contended  for  the  mastery.  To  try  and 
hide  it,  or  pull  it  out,  expose  it,  and  fling  it  away,  was  the 
question;  but  with  the  grandson  of  Truxtun  it  was  a  brief 
question.  High  honor  prevailed.  The  clean  thing  was 
done.  Abstracted  from  its  close  concealment,  the  odious 
tool  was  bared  to  the  light,  and  vehemently  dashed  far 
away — the  generous  Californian  affecting  not  to  have  seen 
it.  Then  breathed  the  boy  easier  and  deeper. 

The  business  of  the  parley  was  soon  arranged.  Pico 
had  three  Americans,  Kearny  had  but  one  Californian, 
sole  fruit  of  the  victory  of  San  Pasqual.  Pico  offered  to 
exchange  man  for  man.  Having  but  one  man,  Beale  was 
anxious  to  redeem  Godey,  but  would  not  name  him,  only 
described  him.  Pico  smiled.  "That  is  Godey,"  said 
he.  "You  can't  have  him;  but  he  will  be  treated  well. 
Describe  another."  Beale,  supposing  he  was  to  be 
refused  again,  and  so  reduced  to  the  one  which  he  least 
wanted,  described  Burgess,  a  brave  man,  but  the  least 
intelligent  of  the  three.  Pico  smiled  again.  "You  shall 
have  him,"  was  the  ready  reply.  "Send  our  man,  and  he 
shall  redeem  Burgess."  It  was  done,  and  the  exchange 
effected. 

The  results  of  the  astuteness  of  Pico,  in  giving  up  the 
least  intelligent  of  his  prisoners,  was  soon  visible,  and 
lamentably  so,  in  the  American  camp.  Burgess  could  tell 
nothing  about  the  mission  to  Stockton — nothing  about  his 
response  in  answer  to  Godey's  mission — nothing  about 
help;  for  he  was  only  one  of  the  escort  for  the  personal 
safety  of  Godey,  in  his  dangerous  mission,  traversing  eighty 


The  War  with  Mexico  19 

miles  (going  and  coming)  of  insurgent  country,  filled  with  a 
hostile  population,  and  rode  over  by  fleet  cavalry,  flushed 
with  victory.  The  secret  of  the  mission  asking  for  aid  was 
confined  to  Godey — not  to  be  committed  to  others,  for 
fear  of  multiplying  the  chances  of  its  getting  to  the  knowl 
edge  of  the  enemy. 

Burgess  could  tell  nothing.  Then  it  was  that  black 
despair  fell  upon  the  American  camp.  Without  provisions, 
without  power  to  move,  besieged  by  conquerors,  without 
the  hope  of  relief — a  surrender  at  discretion,  or  death  in  a 
vain  effort  to  escape,  were  the  only  alternatives.  In  this 
mournful  dilemma,  American  spirit  rose  to  the  level  of  the 
occasion.  Men  and  officers,  one  and  all,  the  unhappy 
wounded  with  the  rest,  demanded  to  be  led  forth.  Then 
the  mournful  preparations  were  made.  All  the  baggage 
was  burnt — everything  that  could  encumber  the  march. 
The  helpless  part  of  the  wounded  were  put  on  ambulances. 
At  one  o'clock  the  devoted  column  began  to  move — Pico, 
on  the  watch,  observing  the  movement.  In  a  moment  his 
lancers  were  in  the  saddle,  mounted  on  their  fleet,  docile, 
daring,  and  educated .  horses,  such  as  the  Mameluke 
never  rode.  He  was  then  in  front,  in  the  open  and  beauti 
ful  valley  through  which  the  road  lay  down  the  river  to 
San  Diego.  Suddenly  the  lancers  defiled  to  the  right — 
came  round  into  the  rear  of  the  hill — halted  and  formed  at 
six  hundred  yards  distance ;  as  much  as  to  say,  "  We  open  the 
road  to  you;  take  it."  Then  Kearny  halted  his  column, 
and  consulted  his  officers,  and  others — Carson  knows  who. 

The  question  was,  to  go  or  not?  The  solution  seemed  to 
depend  upon  the  possibility  of  getting  relief  from  Stockton ; 
if  there  was  a  chance  for  that  relief,  wait  for  it;  if  not,  go 
forward.  Stockton  was  thirty-five  miles  distant,  and  noth 
ing  heard  from  him;  for  Burgess,  as  I  have  said,  could  tell 
nothing.  To  send  another  express  to  Stockton  seemed 
hopeless,  the  distance  and  dangers  were  so  great.  Besides, 
who  would  venture  to  go,  seeing  the  fate  of  Godey  and 


20  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

knowing  the  state  of  the  country?  It  was  a  moment  to  find 
a  hero;  and  one  presented  himself.  It  was  the  lad  Beale. 
It  was  then  one  o'clock;  the  column  fell  back  into  camp; 
early  dark  was  fixed  for  the  departure  of  the  daring  messen 
ger;  and  he  was  asked  whom  he  would  have  for  his  compan 
ion.  "Carson  and  my  Indian  servant,"  was  the  reply. 
The  General  answered  that  he  could  not  spare  Carson — 
that  general  who  swore  before  the  court-martial  that  he  had 
never  seen  the  man  before  or  since  who  brought  him  Fre 
mont's  letter  of  the  I7th  of  January — that  man  being 
Carson!  He  could  not  spare  him.  He  wanted  a  coun 
sellor,  as  well  as  a  guide  and  a  hero.  Then  said  Beale,  "No 
other  can  help  me;  and  I  will  go  with  the  Indian  servant." 
General  Kearny  then  said  Carson  might  go.  Carson  has 
since  told  me  that  Beale  volunteered  first. 

The  brief  preparations  for  the  forlorn  hope — les  enfans 
perdus;  los  hijos  perdidos — were  soon  made;  and  brief  they 
were.  A  rifle  each,  a  blanket,  a  revolver,  a  sharp  knife, 
and  no  food;  there  was  none  in  the  camp.  General  Kearny 
invited  Beale  to  come  and  sup  with  him.  It  was  not  the 
supper  of  Antony  and  Cleopatra;  for  when  the  camp 
starves,  no  general  has  a  larder.  It  was  meagre  enough. 
The  General  asked  Beale  what  provisions  he  had  to  travel 
on;  the  answer  was,  nothing.  The  General  called  his  ser 
vant  to  inquire  what  his  tent  afforded;  a  handful  of  flour 
was  the  answer.  The  General  ordered  it  to  be  baked  into 
a  loaf  and  given  to  Beale.  When  the  loaf  was  brought,  the 
servant  said  that  was  the  last,  not  of  bread  only,  but  of 
everything;  that  he  had  nothing  left  for  the  General's 
breakfast.  Beale  directed  the  servant  to  carry  back  the 
loaf,  saying  he  would  provide  for  himself.  He  did  provide 
for  himself;  and  how?  By  going  to  the  smouldering  fire 
where  the  baggage  had  been  burnt  in  the  morning,  and 
scraping  from  the  ashes  and  embers  the  half-burnt  peas 
and  grains  of  corn  which  the  conflagration  had  spared, 
filling  his  pockets  with  the  unwonted  food.  Carson 


If 


The  War  with  Mexico  21 

and  the  faithful  Indian  provided  for  themselves  some 
mule-beef. 

The  darkness  of  the  night  fell  upon  the  camp,  and  the 
moment  arrived  for  descending  from  the  hill  and  clearing 
the  open  valley,  two  miles  to  the  nearest  cover.  It  was  a 
perilous  descent;  for  at  the  approach  of  night  it  was  the 
custom  of  Pico  to  draw  a  double  chain  of  sentinels  around 
the  hill,  and  to  patrol  the  valley  with  mounted  lancers — 
precautions  more  vigilantly  enforced  since  he  learnt  from 
the  captured  men  that  Carson  was  on  the  hill.  "Be  on  the 
alert,"  he  said  to  his  men,  "Carson  is  there";  and  applying 
to  Kearny's  command  one  of  the  figurative  expressions  so 
common  in  the  Spanish  language — se  escapara  el  lobo:  the 
wolf  will  escape  the  hunters  if  you  do  not  watch  him  close. 

The  descent  was  perilous  and  painful,  all  done  by  crawl 
ing;  for  the  upright  figure  of  a  man  could  not  be  exhibited 
where  the  horizon  was  watched  for  all  that  appeared  above 
it.  Shoes  were  pulled  off  to  avoid  cracking  a  stick  or 
making  a  sound,  which  the  ear  of  the  listener  pressed  upon 
the  ground  could  catch,  and  the  naked  feet  exposed  to  the 
prickly  pear.  They  passed  between  sentinels,  waiting  and 
watching  their  time  to  move  an  inch.  They  heard  them 
whisper,  and  smelt  the  smoke  of  the  cigarito.  At  one  time, 
Beale  thought  it  was  all  over  with  them.  Pressing  Carson's 
thigh  to  get  his  attention,  and  putting  his  mouth  upon  his 
ear,  he  whispered  into  it,  "We  are  gone;  let  us  jump  up  and 
fight  it  out."  Carson  said,  "No,  I  have  been  in  worse 
places  before,  and  Providence  saved  me."  His  religious 
reliance  encouraged  the  sinking  hopes  of  Beale.  The  hill 
cleared,  two  miles  of  prairie  in  the  open  valley,  all  covered 
with  prickly  pears,  remained  to  be  crawled  over,  for  no  one 
could  stand  upright  without  detection  where  the  mounted 
vidette  observed  every  object  that  rose  above  the  level 
plain. 

Clear  of  the  valley  and  gaining  the  first  woods,  they 
travelled  all  night  without  shoes,  having  lost  them  in  the 


22  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

dark.  Rocks,  stones,  pebbles,  prickly  pears,  there  of 
exuberant  growth,  were  their  carpet.  At  daylight  they 
took  a  gorge  of  a  mountain,  and  laid  by,  for  movement  by 
day  was  impossible  to  them;  the  whole  country  was  on  the 
alert,  animated  to  the  highest  by  the  success  over  Kearny, 
and  all  on  the  search  for  fugitives.  At  nightfall  the  expedi 
tion  was  resumed,  and  within  twelve  miles  of  San  Diego  the 
three  adventurers  separated,  each  to  take  his  chance  of 
getting  in,  and  thus  multiply  chances  for  getting  relief  to 
Kearny;  for  San  Diego  also  was  surrounded  and  invested, 
and  Stockton  had  not  a  horse  (having  sent  all  to  Kearny)  to 
scour  the  country  a  furlong  in  front  of  his  infantry  pickets. 
The  Indian  got  in  first,  Beale  next,  Carson  third,  all  in  a 
state  of  utter  exhaustion,  and  Beale  only  getting  into  the 
town  by  the  help  of  the  men  who  carried  him,  and  with 
injuries  from  which  he  has  not  yet  recovered. 

When  the  Mexican  rising  took  place  under  Flores 
and  Pico,  or  to  be  quite  frank  about  it  when  the 
Californians  attempted  to  wrest  their  country 
from  the  hands  of  the  invaders,  Fremont  with  his 
small  force  was  encamped  in  the  Valley  of  the 
Sacramento.  He  was  apparently  endeavoring, 
with  but  slight  success,  to  induce  the  emigrants 
to  take  part  in  Stockton's  expedition  against 
Old  Mexico.  The  Mexican  uprising,  as  it  was 
called,  cancelled  all  previously  held  plans  and 
Fremont  was  ordered  to  come  forthwith  to  San 
Francisco  "with"  as  Fremont  writes  in  his 
Memoirs: 

all  the  men  and  saddles  I  could  obtain.  To  bring  my 
command  to  San  Francisco  [continues  Fremont],  Commo 
dore  Stockton  had  sent  a  fleet  of  boats  in  charge  of  Mid- 


The  War  with  Mexico  23 

shipman  Edward  Beale  whom  I  had  met  in  Monterey  in 
July.  At  our  meeting  now  commenced  intervals  of  agree 
able  companionship  on  interesting  occasions  that  resulted  in 
a  family  friendship  which  has  continued  for  forty  years. 

Gen.  Beale  at  the  date  to  which  I  refer  was  a  real  midship 
man  of  the  old  type,  happy  and  spilling  over  with  uncon 
trolled  good  spirits  as  mostly  midshipmen  are  used  to  be 
when  away  from  the  restraints  of  the  ship.  .  .  .  The  delta 
of  the  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  Rivers  and  the  bay  and 
its  sloughs  at  that  time  were  not  familiar  to  sea-going  men, 
or  indeed  to  men  of  any  kind.  Of  his  navigation  through 
the  Tulares  in  search  of  me  I  will  let  Beale  speak  for  him 
self. 

"I  remember  the  lovely  spring-like  morning/'1  writes 
Gen.  Beale,  "I  think  it  was  autumn  but  it  ought  to  have 
been  spring  because  I  was  so  happy  when  I  was  ordered  to 
command  a  squadron  of  boats  (what  is  the  Presidency  to 
that  at  19  or  20!)  and  go  to  find  Fremont.  .  .  .  Wide  and 
beautiful  before  us  was  the  splendid  and  lonely  bay.  We 
looked  curiously  at  Red  Rock,  passed  La  Isla  de  las  Yeguas 
and  met  the  furious  tide  of  Garquinez  Straits,  my  remem 
brance  is  it  steered  us  and  we  camped  for  the  night. 

"The  next  day  we  looked  over  the  vast  ocean  of  tules  and 
toward  where  the  Sacramento  and  the  San  Joaquin  come  to 
gether  in  the  great  middle  mere  of  that  wonderful  delta. 
There  was  everything  curious  to  us  that  sunset,  Monte 
Diavolo  with  double  peaks,  a  long  white  line  very  distant 
which  told  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  bewitching  contour 
of  the  nearer  coast  range  and  the  quiet  and  lovely  valleys 
lying  close  aboard.  .  .  .  We  pulled  in  and  next  day  we  dis 
covered  a  man  on  horseback  whereupon  we  prepared  to 
give  him  a  broadside,  as  we  were  some  distance  from  camp, 
and  were  already  owners  in  fancy  of  a  horse  and  saddle, 
when  to  our  intense  disgust  he  spoke  in  English  and  proved 

1  This  letter  was  written  by  Gen.  Beale  at  Gen.  Fremont's  request 
when  the  latter  was  preparing  his  Memoirs,  about  1872. 


24  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

to  be  Jake  Snyder  of  Fremont's  battalion.  Then  I  had 
found  my  Holy  Grail  and  went  with  him  to  Sonoma  or 
some  such  place.  We  went  like  the  Knight  Hospitalers, 
two  on  one  horse,  I  holding  on  to  the  taffrail  when  at  a 
gallop. 

"The  town  was  all  ablaze,  old  Ide  was  there  and  Cosgrove, 
and  Snyder  and  Hensley  and  Bidwell  and  Gibson  and  a  lot 
of  others.  Very  soon,  mayhap  it  was  the  next  day,  we  all 
went  to  the  boats  and  soon  set  sail  for  the  bay  again. 
Major  Fremont  being  naturally  in  the  fastest  boat  with  me, 
we  outsailed  the  fleet  and  at  nightfall  hauled  up  on  an 
island.  .  .  .  Howsomever  we  got  away  and  reached  the  old 
frigate  Congress  .  .  .  and  all  this  happened  in  the  fall  of 
'46  and  a  few  unimportant  matters  have  happened  since  but 
hardly  worth  recording." 


CHAPTER  III 
WITH  CARSON  ON  THE  GILA 

Beale  the  Hero  of  San  Pasqual — Commodore  Stockton's 
Despatches  and  the  Praise  of  his  Brother  Officers — 
Beale  and  Carson  Set  Out  across  the  Plains)  to  Carry 
the  News  to  Washington — Gen.  Sherman's  Picture 
of  Carson  —  Adventures  on  the  Gila  —  Dogged  by 
Indians  for  Eight  Hundred  Miles  on  the  Central 
Plains — "Them  's  Arrers" — Lions  in  St.  Louis  and 
Washington — A  Short  Holiday — Back  across  the 
Plains  Again — Incredible  Hardships  in  the  Gila  Coun 
try — Beale  Discovers  or  Divines  the  Santa  Fe  Trail— 
The  Rev.  Colton  as  Alcalde  of  Monterey — The  Milch 
Cow  "  Eschews  "  to  the  Court— Sutter's  Mill-race  and 
the  Golden  Sands — Conditions  of  Life  in  El  Do 
rado — The  Rev.  Colton's  Complaint  and  Prayerful 
Hope — Beale  as  a  Caricaturist — The  Alleged  Resent 
ment  of  Catesby  Jones — Story  of  Gold  in  California — 
Competition  between  the  Army  and  Navy  to  Get  the 
News  East— Beale's  Views  on  the  Gold  Question. 

U.  S.  FRIGATE  "CONGRESS," 
HARBOR  OF  SAN  DIEGO, 

Feb.  9,  1847. 
SIR: 

I  have  selected  you  to  be  the  bearer  of  the  accompanying 
despatches  to  the  Navy  Department  in  consequence  of 
your  heroic  conduct  in  volunteering  to  leave  Gen.  Kearny's 

25 


26  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

camp  (then  surrounded  by  the  enemy)  to  go  to  the  Garrison 
of  San  Diego  for  assistance  and  because  of  the  perils  and 
hardships  you  underwent  during  that  dangerous  journey, 
to  procure  aid  for  your  suffering  fellow  soldiers. 

You  will  proceed  without  delay  with  Mr.  Carson's  party 
by  the  most  expeditious  route  overland. 

On  your  arrival  at  Washington  you  will  immediately 
deliver  the  despatches  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
and  receive  his  instructions  for  your  future  government. 

Faithfully, 

Your  obt.  servt. 

R.  F.  STOCKTON. 
To  Actg.  Lt.  E.  F.  BEALE. 

That  Beale' s  services  were  as  highly  esteemed 
by  his  brother  officers  and  shipmates  as  they  were 
by  the  commodore,  a  happy  state  of  affairs  which 
does  not  always  exist  in  the  service,  was  shown  by 
the  following  letter  and  the  incident  so  creditable 
to  all  concerned  which  it  describes. 

SAN  DIEGO,  Dec.  21,  1846. 
DEAR  BEALE: 

We  your  friends  and  brother  officers  have  ordered  from 
England  a  pair  of  epaulettes  and  sword  to  be  presented  to 
you  by  the  hands  of  Lieut.  Tilghman,  in  testimony  of  our 
admiration  of  your  gallant  conduct  in  the  bold  and  hazard 
ous  enterprise  of  leaving  Gen.  Kearny's  encampment, 
after  the  battles  of  San  Pasqual  and  San  Bernardino  of  the 
6th  of  December,  1846,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  informa 
tion  to  the  garrison  of  San  Diego  and  obtaining  relief  for  the 
suffering  troops.  Your  bravery  in  the  field  of  action  and 
cool  determination  in  the  service  above  spoken  of  merits 
our  warmest  applause  and  we  congratulate  you  upon  the 
opportunity  of  distinction  which  you  so  handsomely 
improved.  Hoping  that  the  President  of  the  United  States 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  27 

will  not  overlook  your  merit  and  that  you  may  speedily 
wear  the  epaulettes  and  sword  as  the  mark  of  your  legiti 
mate  rank,  we  remain,  yours  faithfully, 

W.  W.  Revere,  Lt.,  Sam  Mosbey,  Surgeon, 

W.  B.  Renshaw,  Lt.,  R.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  Lt., 

Ben.  F.  B.  Hunter,  Lt.,  Jno.  Guest,  Lt., 

W.  B.  Harrison,  Master,          J.  Zeilan,  Capt., 
C.  Eversfield,  Surgeon,  H.  B.  Watson, 

Jas.  H.  Watmough,  P.  M.,      George  Minor,  Lt., 
Wm.  Speeden,  P.  M.,  J.  H.  Thompson,  Lt., 

C.  D.  Maxwell,  Surgeon,         A.  A.  Henderson,  Inc.  9, 

F.  J.  Stenson,  Master,  G.  W.  Harrison,  Lt., 

G.  Missrova,  Lt.,  Edwd.  Higgins,  Lt. 

Carson,  who  acted  as  Beale's  guide  in  this  jour 
ney  across  the  plains  in  the  winter  of  1846-7  with 
Stockton's  despatches,  is  said  to  have  been  a  grand 
son  of  Daniel  Boone  and  came  to  his  pioneering 
prowess  and  woodcraft  by  right  of  heredity.  He 
was  a  son  of  the  plains  but  at  the  same  time  had 
none  of  the  physical  characteristics  of  the  frontiers 
man.  General  W.  T.  Sherman  who  saw  Carson  in 
1848  in  the  company  of  Beale  describes  the  cele 
brated  scout  as  follows : 

He  was  a  small,  stoop-shouldered  man  with  reddish 
hair,  freckled  face,  soft  blue  eyes  and  nothing  to  indicate 
extraordinary  courage  or  daring.  He  spoke  but  little  and 
answered  questions  in  monosyllables.  He  spent  some  days 
in  Monterey  during  which  time  we  extracted  some  items 
of  his  personal  history. 

In  all  his  journeys  Carson  was  so  cautious  that 
not  a  few,  strangers  to  the  quality  of  his  courage, 


28  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

deemed  him  timid.  Not  a  tree,  a  rock,  a  bush,  or 
any  other  place  where  an  Indian  might  hide  escaped 
his  notice.  His  eye  was  ever  scanning  the  horizon 
for  the  hazy  smoke  that  might  indicate  an  Indian 
fire,  or  the  flight  of  crows  which  generally  hovered 
over  a  spot  where  Indians  had  recently  encamped, 
and  the  ground  he  was  always  scrutinizing  in 
search  of  the  pressure  of  the  horse's  unshod  foot  or 
of  the  Indian's  moccasin.  For  this  expedition 
with  Lieutenant  Beale  to  Washington,  Commodore 
Stockton  gave  the  young  scout  a  free  hand,  and 
ten  picked  marksmen  were  enrolled.  The  expe 
dition  took  an  extremely  southern  route  and  after 
journeying  four  hundred  miles  they  reached  the 
Gila,  a  tributary  of  the  Lower  Colorado.  Here 
Carson's  lynx  eyes  brought  to  light  evidence  of  the 
fact  that  a  band  of  hostile  Indians,  though  always 
keeping  out  of  sight,  were  dogging  his  path  and 
eagerly  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  take  him  by 
surprise.  The  route  led  over  a  vast  prairie  where 
there  were  no  natural  defences.  When  he  con 
sidered  that  the  psychological  moment  had  come, 
from  indications  that  were  anything  but  enlight 
ening  to  his  companions,  Carson  met  Indian 
strategy  with  the  trapper's  ruse.  Carson  and 
Beale  and  the  other  riflemen  cooked  their  supper 
rather  early  in  the  evening,  and  wrapped  in  their 
blankets  threw  themselves  on  the  grass,  apparently 
to  sleep,  but  as  soon  as  it  was  dark  the  men  were 
ordered  to  rise  and  to  march  forward  for  something 
more  than  a  mile,  again  to  picket  their  animals  and 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  29 

to  arrange  their  pack  saddles  so  that  they  might 
serve  as  a  protection  from  the  arrows  of  the  Indians. 
At  midnight  the  yell  of  the  savage  was  heard  and  a 
shower  of  arrows  fell  around  but  wide  of  the  mark. 
The  attacking  party  had  not  ascertained  with 
accuracy  the  changed  position  of  the  travellers. 
They  dared  not  approach  near  enough  to  see,  for 
in  that  case  they  knew  the  fate  that  awaited  them 
from  the  unerring  aim  of  Kit  and  his  companions. 
After  many  random  shots  and  many  unearthly 
yells  the  discomfited  savages  fled  before  the  ap 
proach  of  dawn.  And  this  was  the  last  serious 
attempt  made  by  the  "horse  Indians"  to  prevent  the 
bearers  of  despatches  from  crossing  their  territory. 

East  of  the  Colorado  River  and  in  the  Central 
desert  there  was  no  respite  from  other  escorting 
Indians.  Beale  and  Carson  were  only  accom 
panied  by  ten  men  and  they  were  doggedly  followed 
for  eight  hundred  miles  by  a  large  band  who  day 
or  night  were  hardly  ever  out  of  sight;  however, 
after  one  or  two  costly  attempts  to  charge  the 
wide-awake  plainsmen,  the  Indians  contented 
themselves  with  repeated  but  always  unsuccessful 
attempts  to  stampede  their  horses  and  mules. 

Carson  had  seen  Beale  stand  to  his  guns  with  a 
handful  of  bluejackets  while  the  Mexican  lancers, 
in  what  should  have  been  overpowering  numbers, 
charged  his  battery  again  and  again.  He  had 
been  his  comrade  in  the  desperate  journey  through 
a  hostile  country  from  San  Pasqual  to  San  Diego, 
but  it  was  a  little  incident  of  this  trip  that  the 


30  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

scout  loved  to  relate  as  more  fully  giving  the 
measure  of  Beale 's  bravery : 

Things  whirring  like  birds  on  the  flight  wuz  flying  over 
us  as  I  wuz  trying  to  sleep  by  the  campfire  [said  Carson], 
and  Ned  was  sleepin  or  leastwise  he  wuz  snorin.  Then 
suddenly  he  sits  up  and  says,  "What's  that  Don  Kit?  "  and 
I  says,  "  Them  's  arrers  "  and  they  wuz  and  could  you  believe 
it  before  I  could  hold  him  down  Ned  was  wrapping  his 
buffalo  robe  about  him  and  standing  in  the  fire  kicking  out 
the  embers.  "  Now/'  sez  he,  as  them  arrers  came  whizzin 
along  like  a  raft  of  geese  going  South  before  er  North  wind. 
"Now,"  sez  he,  "  Don  Kit,  they  won't  be  able  to  get  our 
directions  any  more  and  you  know  they  don't  dare  rush  us  " ; 
then  he  tumbled  down  on  the  ground  and  went  on  with  his 
sleepin. 

Carson  and  Beale  were  of  course  great  cards  to 
the  curious  when  they  arrived  in  St.  Louis  and 
later  at  the  Capital.  They  were  reluctant  lions, 
and  Carson  was  most  uncomfortable  in  the  pres 
ence  of  the  crowds  of  citizens  who  waited  upon 
him  to  see  him  "plain"  and  to  shake  his  sinewy 
hand  for  one  ecstatic  moment.  But  Carson  would 
never  allow  himself  to  be  rushed,  as  he  called  it,  in 
the  house.  "I  allays  see  folks  out  in  the  road, " 
he  would  explain  as  he  sidled  out  into  the  street  to 
meet  the  citizens  who  were  always  awaiting  his  ap 
pearance  in  front  of  the  Benton  house  in  St.  Louis 
and  later  outside  of  Mrs.  Beale 's  in  Washington. 
Carson  could  never  sleep  indoors  and  when  Mrs. 
Beale,  the  mother  of  his  young  companion,  arranged 
a  simple  couch  for  him  on  her  veranda  the  family 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  31 

chronicle  states  that  "Kit  shed  tears  of  gratitude 
and  joy/' 

Beale  and  Carson  were  made  much  of  wherever 
they  went.  They  were  lodged  at  Senator  Benton's 
and  met  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the  day. 
Beale  was  allowed  a  few  days  in  which  to  visit 
Chester,  where  the  young  girl  who  became  his  wife 
resided,  and  President  Polk,  much  to  his  dismay, 
appointed  Carson,  the  dashing  scout,  a  lieutenant 
in  the  United  States  Rifles.  However,  these  idle 
days  were  soon  over,  and  both  men  were  soon  on 
their  way  back  to  the  new  world,  the  Pacific  world, 
they  were  doing  so  much  to  open  to  the  crowded 
East. ' 

1  WASHINGTON  CITY,  Aug.,  1847. 
To  the  HON.  MR.  MASON,  Sec.  of  Navy. 
SIR: 

Passed  Midshipman  Edward  Beale,  now  ill  at  Philadelphia,  has 
written  to  me  to  desire  the  Department  to  charge  him  with  despatches 
for  the  North  Pacific.  I  do  so  with  pleasure,  being  well  informed  by  all 
who  have  returned  from  California  of  his  most  meritorious  conduct  there, 
especially  in  the  signal  act  of  volunteering  with  Mr.  Carson  and  his 
Indian  servant  to  make  his  way  through  the  Californian  forces  and 
amidst  incredible  dangers  and  sufferings  to  go  to  Commodore  Stockton 
for  relief  to  Gen.  Kearny,  and  also  in  volunteering  to  parley  with  Hon. 
Andres  Pico  for  an  exchange  of  prisoners  and  the  handsome  manner  in 
which  he  executed  it,  and  for  his  manly  daring  in  crossing  the  continent 
last  spring  amid  great  suffering  and  with  heroic  courage  and  constancy. 

Having  a  high  opinion  of  the  young  man  for  honor,  courage,  truth, 
modesty,  enterprise  and  perseverance  I  should  be  happy  to  see  him 
noticed  and  countenanced  by  the  Department. 

Yours  respectfully, 

THOMAS  H.  BENTON. 

To  HON.  THOMAS  H.  BENTON, 

Aug.  27,  1847. 

The  Department  appreciates  Mr.  Beale's  meritorious  services  and  will 
give  him  orders  to  return  when  his  health  is  sufficiently  re-established  to 


32  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

The  Mobile  Register  gives  the  following  authen 
tic  account  of  Beale's  adventures  on  the  return 
journey  to  California. 

Lieut.  Beale  was  sent  early  in  November  last,  as  a  bearer 
of  despatches  from  our  Government  to  the  United  States 
officers  in  California  and  upon  the  Pacific.  He  was  entrusted 
with  communications  to  Col.  Washington  at  Santa  Fe,  Col. 
Mason  in  California  and  Gen.  Lane  in  Oregon  and  was 
required  to  pass  through  the  extensive  regions  beyond  the 
Mississippi  to  reach  his  destination.  He  left  Fort  Leaven- 
worth  on  the  Missouri  the  2Oth  of  November  with  a  com 
mand  of  seventeen  mounted  men,  all  raw  recruits  and  a  few 
adventurers.  After  a  tedious  and  fatiguing  journey  they 
reached  Bent's  fort  and  learned  that  Col.  Fremont  and  his 
party  had  passed  about  ten  days  before.  In  crossing  the 
Taos  or  Raton  mountains  they  encountered  all  the  severi 
ties  of  winter  in  these  difficult  and  gigantic  passes  covered 
with  the  snows  of  an  unusually  cold  and  inclement  season. 
Many  of  their  mules  perished  from  the  rigors  of  the  weather 
and  march,  and  a  number  of  the  men  were  frostbitten  and 
disabled  for  further  service.  Upon  arriving  at  Santa  Fe, 
which  he  reached  on  the  25th  of  December,  Lieut.  Beale 
gave  permission  to  such  of  his  men  as  were  unwilling  to  pro 
ceed  to  return,  and  seven  did  so.  He  was  unwilling  to  be 
accompanied  in  the  dangers  and  trials  before  him  by  any 
upon  whom  he  could  not  rely  with  implicit  confidence.  To 
supply  the  deficiency  Col.  Mason  allowed  him  to  enlist 
eight  additional  men  who  were  desirous  of  engaging  in  the 
expedition. 

With  this  force  Lieut.  Beale  started  from  Santa  Fe  on  the 

undertake  the  journey.  A  bearer  of  despatches  is  not  required  now 
but  officers  of  Mr.  Beale's  character  are  much  wanted.  An  opportunity 
will  occur  for  him  about  the  first  of  October. 

Respectfully, 

J.  G.  MASON. 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  33 

nth  of  January  and  was  soon  destined  to  encounter  the 
most  trying  difficulties.  The  Sierra  de  los  Miembres,  a 
vast  range  of  lofty  mountains,  was  enveloped  in  snowstorms 
and  the  route  was  most  hazardous  and  oppressive.  So 
intense  was  the  cold  that  several  mules  were  frozen  to 
death  at  night  even  under  tents  and  covered  with  blankets. 
Here  the  fortitude  of  a  number  of  men  failed  them  and  a 
sergeant  and  six  men,  privates,  deserted.  Of  these  as  well 
as  of  the  seven  who  had  previously  left  no  subsequent 
information  has  been  received.  They  no  doubt  perished 
under  the  violence  of  the  weather  or  were  assassinated  by 
the  Indians  who  infest  these  regions. 

Lieut.  Beale  now  pressed  on  with  indomitable  resolution 
through  indescribable  difficulties  to  the  head- waters  of  the 
river  Gila.  Passing  to  the  southern  side  he  followed  the 
trail  which  winds  in  a  zig-zag  manner  along  the  precipitous 
sides  of  the  lofty  mountains  which  prevail  in  this  region. 
This  section  of  the  country  has  been  falsely  said  to  furnish 
opportunities  for  a  good  road  or  roads  to  California.  From 
Lieut.  Beale 's  description  it  is  a  continuance  of  the  most 
rugged  and  inaccessible  mountains,  with  vast  gorges  and 
peaks  and  declivities  covered  perpetually  with  snow,  and 
presenting  barriers  to  be  passed  only  with  incredible  exer 
tions.  No  track  for  a  wagon  or  any  wheel  vehicle  can  ever 
be  made  along  this  route.  The  men  could  only  press  on 
along  the  ascents  by  the  aid  of  their  hands  as  well  as  their 
feet  and  even  the  tenacious  mountain  mules  were  often 
precipitated  from  the  declivities  and  rolling  down  the  slopes 
were  crushed  to  pieces  with  every  bone  broken  and  even 
their  saddles  so  damaged  they  could  not  be  used  again. 

This  route  crosses  the  head-waters  of  the  Gila  frequently, 
so  as  to  avoid  the  barriers  which  constantly  jut  upon  and 
overhang  the  streams.  That  river  in  this  portion  of  its 
extent  is  not  susceptible  of  even  canoe  navigation.  Its 
currents  are  of  arrowy  swiftness,  shooting  over  rocky  and ' 
irregular  falls  with  short  serpentine  windings  through 


34  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

narrow  and  dangerous  canyons  that  produce  whirlpools  and 
cascades  which  would  engulf  any  water  craft  entrusted  to 
their  control. 


After  this  rough  experience  Lieutenant  Beale  cast 
about  him  for  a  more  favorable  route  to  the  Pacific 
from  the  Missouri  settlements.  In  his  next  journey 
westward  he  hit  upon  the  Santa  Fe  trail  which  soon 
became  the  principal  avenue  of  communication  be 
tween  the  two  sections  of  the  country.  Years  later, 
in  1 880,  the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  Railroad 
was  built  along  Beale's  route  and  the  company  very 
gracefully  requested  General  Beale  to  become  the 
engineer-in-chief ,  if  only  in  a  consulting  or  honorary 
capacity,  of  the  great  trans-continental  line  which 
he  had  first  explored  and  later  opened  to  the  passage 
of  prairie  "schooners, "  an  honor  which  on  account 
of  other  engagements  General  Beale  was  compelled 
to  decline. 

There  are  many  amusing  stories  told  of  the  early 
days  of  American  control  in  California  and  in 
many  of  these  the  Reverend  Walter  Colton  who 
came  out  as  chaplain  on  the  Congress  figures.  There 
was  one  in  particular  that  in  after  years  General 
Beale  delighted  to  relate.  His  old  ship-mate,  who 
wrote  a  volume  entitled  Three  Years  in  California, 
did  not  think  the  incident  of  sufficient  importance 
to  set  down  in  his  somewhat  ponderous  chronicles  of 
these  interesting  times. 

When  Commodore  Stockton  instituted  civil 
government  over  the  territory  so  recently  wrested 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  35 

from  the  Mexicans,  the  Reverend  Colton  was 
appointed  alcalde  of  Monterey,  where  his  duties 
were  both  administrative  and  judicial.  Gambling 
was  then  the  besetting  sin  of  the  Mexican  Calif  or- 
nian,  as  it  soon  became  that  of  the  American 
invader.  There  was  also  a  dearth  of  milch  cows 
in  the  community,  which  was  all  the  more  severely 
felt  because  in  those  days  condensed  milk  and  the 
other  substitutes  were  unknown. 

One  day  two  gamblers  were  brought  before 
the  clerical  alcalde  as  was  also  a  magnificent  fresh 
cow.  They  were  charged  with  having  gambled 
over  it  and  the  ownership  of  the  animal  was  dis 
puted.  The  Reverend  Colton  considered  the 
story  as  set  forth  by  the  interested  parties  with 
great  interest  and  then  submitted  the  following 
decree. 

' '  You,  sir,  lost  the  cow,  consequently  it  does  not  belong  to 
you."  Then  turning  to  the  other  man,  he  said,  "You,  sir, 
have  won  it — you  have  won  it  by  gambling,  but  this  is  a 
form  of  transfer  that  the  Court  does  not  recognize.  In  my 
opinion,  therefore,  the  animal  eschews  to  the  Court. " 

The  coveted  cow  was  henceforth  attached  to  the 
Court  and  the  decision  of  the  alcalde  greatly 
admired  by  all  save  the  bereaved  former  owner. 
The  milk  punches  which  the  Court  was  now 
enabled  to  serve  from  time  to  time,  and  indeed 
always  when  the  ex-chaplain's  former  messmates 
called  upon  him,  became  famous  throughout  the 
land,  and  were  very  generally  regarded  as  an 


36  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

important  auxiliary  to  the   speedy  Americaniza 
tion  of  the  conquered  territory. 

In  the  last  days  of  the  year  1847  the  Swiss 
pioneer  Sutter  began  to  build  a  sawmill  and  to 
deepen  his  mill-race.  To  do  this  the  earth  was 
loosened  during  the  day  and  the  waters  of  the 
river  turned  in  at  night  to  wash  out  the  dirt. 
Marshall  saw  the  glittering  sand  one  day  in  the 
following  January.  A  determined  attempt  to 
keep  the  discovery  secret  was  made,  but  without 
much  success.  In  March  the  discovery  was  men 
tioned  in  the  California  papers  and  a  few  days 
later  the  precious  dust  in  small  quantities  was 
being  sold  in  some  of  the  port  towns.  Then 
scenes  were  enacted  which  will  doubtless  never 
be  seen  again.  Ships  were  abandoned  in  the 
harbors  and  churches  closed.  San  Francisco  was 
deserted  and  the  flight  up  the  Sacramento  River 
toward  the  gold  fields  began.  Even  the  army 
posts  were  reduced  by  desertion  to  corporal's 
guards  and  our  naval  vessels  in  Monterey  harbor 
were  kept  off  the  land  and  without  communication 
with  the  shore.  Commodore  Jones  reported: 

"Even  men  having  balances  due  them  of  over  one 
thousand  dollars  have  deserted.  Nothing,  sir,  can  ex 
ceed  the  deplorable  state  of  things  in  all  upper  California 
at  this  time  and  of  the  maddening  effect  of  the  gold  mania. 
I  am  sorry  to  say  that  in  this  squadron  some  of  the 
officers  are  a  little  tainted  and  have  manifested  restlessness 
under  moderate  restrictions.  For  the  present,  and  I  fear 
for  years  to  come,  [the  Commodore  continues]  it  will  be 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  37 

impossible  for  the  United  States  to  maintain  any  naval  or 
military  establishments  in  California,  as  at  present  no  hope 
of  reward  or  fear  of  punishment  is  sufficient  to  make  binding 
any  contract  between  man  and  man  upon  the  soil  of  Califor 
nia.  To  send  troops  out  here  would  be  needless  as  they 
would  immediately  desert." 

Paymaster  Rich,  U.  S.  N.,  writing  to  the  Depart 
ment  from  Monterey  at  the  same  time  says: 

"  The  pay  of  Governors  and  Judges,  etc.,  as  allowed  in  the 
United  States  will  hardly  compare  with  that  paid  to  sales 
men  and  clerks  here." 

During  the  six  months  of  Beale's  absence  from 
California  the  United  States  had  instituted  civil  gov 
ernment,  and  changed — almost  incredible — con 
ditions  presented  themselves  on  every  side.  The 
Reverend  Walter  Colton,  chaplain  of  the  frigate 
Congress,  a  shipmate  of  Beale,  the  first  alcalde  of 
Monterey  after  the  American  conquest,  describes 
in  his  volume  already  referred  to  one  phase  of  the 
remarkable  situation  in  the  following  sentences: 

Her  emigrants  are  rushing  from  every  continent  and  isle, 
they  crest  every  mountain,  they  cover  every  sea;  they 
sweep  in  like  a  cloud  from  the  Pacific,  they  roll  down  like  a 
torrent  from  the  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  They  crowd 
to  her  bosom  to  gather  gold,  their  hammers  and  drills,  their 
mattocks  and  spades  divert  the  deep  stream  and  are  echoed 
from  a  thousand  caverned  hills,  the  level  plain,  the  soaring 
cliff  and  wombed  mountain  give  up  their  glowing  treasures. 

But  the  gifts  of  nature  here  are  not  confined  to  her 
sparkling  sands  and  veined  rocks,  they  extend  to  the  produc- 


38  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

tive  forces  of  her  soil,  they  lie  along  her  water  courses, 
through  her  verdant  valleys  and  wave  in  her  golden  grain, 
they  reel  in  her  vintage,  they  blush  in  her  fruits,  while  her 
soft  zephyrs  as  they  float  the  landscape  scatter  perfume  from 
their  odorous  wings. 

But  with  all  these  gifts  disease  is  here  with  i'-s  pale 
victims  and  sorrow  with  its  willow  woven  shrine.  There  is 
no  land  less  relieved  by  the  smiles  and  soothing  cares  of 
women.  If  Eden  with  its  ambrosial  fruits  and  guiltless 
joys  was  still  sad  the  voice  of  woman  mingled  with  its 
melodies,  California  with  all  her  treasured  hills  and  streams 
must  be  cheerful  till  she  feels  the  presence  of  the  same 
enchantress.  It  is  woman  alone  that  can  make  a  home  for 
the  human  heart  .  .  .  where  her  footsteps  light  the  freshest 
flowers  spring!  where  her  voice  swells  the  softest  echoes 
wake!  Her  smiles  garland  the  domestic  hearth,  her  sym 
pathy  melts  through  the  deepest  folds  of  grief.  Her  love 
clothes  the  earth  with  light.  ...  Of  all  these  sources  of 
solace  and  hope  multitudes  in  California  are  now  bereft; 
but  the  ties  of  kindred,  the  quick-winged  ship  and  the 
steed  of  flame  on  his  iron-paved  track  will  soon  secure  them 
these  priceless  gifts. 

Beale,  a  few  weeks  before  the  discovery  of  gold, 
had  been  detached  from  the  flagship  Ohio  and 
given  disagreeable  duty  on  shore.  This  was  the 
first  setback  the  rising  young  officer  had  received 
upon  his  upward  course  and  while  there  is  no  trace 
of  it  upon  Beale's  official  record  he  is  supposed, 
according  to  the  service  tradition,  to  have  incurred 
the  commodore's  displeasure  in  this  wise.  Jones, 
though  in  command  of  a  large  fleet,  loved  nothing 
better  than  to  sail  a  small  boat  unless  it  was  to  tell 
of  the  important  part  he  had  taken  in  the  Battle 


o\ 

3 


I 

I 


in    o 
<S  ^ 

IH 

O 

H 

w 

O 

H 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  39 

of  New  Orleans,  where  he  commanded  a  flotilla  of 
small  boats  which  helped  to  delay  the  British 
advance  until  Jackson  was  ready  to  receive  it  with 
sharpshooters  behind  cotton  bales.  Some  of  the 
younger  officers  knew  the  story  by  heart  and  very- 
much  disliked  sailing  with  the  commodore  on  these 
little  excursions  where  it  would  seem  that  from  the 
force  of  suggestion  he  could  not  help  telling  his 
1813  war  story.  The  youngsters  were  nimble  and 
would  get  out  of  the  commodore's  way  when  it 
was  evident  he  was  about  to  embark  upon  one  of 
these,  for  him  at  least,  pleasure  trips  and  in  conse 
quence  the  fleet  surgeon,  an  elderly  man,  generally 
became  his  companion  and,  it  is  said,  acquitted 
himself  in  the  task  with  considerable  diplomacy. 

Beale  had  a  happy  or  unhappy  knack  of  cari 
cature  and  he  drew  a  cartoon  which  represented 
the  commodore  sailing  his  boat  and  holding  forth 
to  the  fleet  surgeon  upon  certain  incidents  of  the 
New  Orleans  campaign  which  had  not  been  dwelt 
upon  in  most  histories.  As  the  commodore  talked 
the  obsequious  surgeon  could  be  seen  sluicing  him 
up  and  down  with  a  grease  pot  such  as  sailors  use 
on  the  rigging.  The  commodore  never  saw  the 
cartoon  which  convulsed  the  fleet  but  he  heard  of 
it  and  Beale  was  detached.  Some  of  the  officers 
saw  in  Beale' s  subsequent  selection  to  carry  des 
patches  and  the  news  of  gold  across  Mexico 
a  further  evidence  of  the  commodore's  hostility. 
If  it  was,  and  all  this  rests  upon  the  flimsiest  tra 
dition,  Jones's  hostility  was  more  useful  to  Beale 


4-O  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

than  even  Benton's  friendship.  It  gave  the  mid 
shipman  a  chance  to  distinguish  himself  which  he 
was  not  slow  to  seize. 

There  is  no  official  record  or  reference  in  the 
family  archives  of  how  Beale  secured  the  golden 
nuggets  and  the  glittering  sands  which  he  carried 
East  to  initiate  a  movement  which  changed  the 
course  of  history.  He  did  not  secure  it  first  hand 
from  the  diggings,  as  his  first  visit  there  was  some 
months  later.  In  the  Navy  the  tradition  was  that 
Beale  secured  the  treasure  from  one  of  the  earliest 
visitors  to  the  mill-race  in  exchange  for  one  hun 
dred  grains  of  quinine  which  Beale  was  too  old  a 
traveller  ever  to  be  without.  Certain  it  is  only 
that  at  this  time  in  Monterey  and  San  Francisco 
quinine  was  quoted  higher  than  gold,  grain  for 
grain. 

Of  recent  years  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
1  fornia  can  boast  its  own  literature  and  not  a  few 
controversies.  There  evidently  was  keen  rivalry 
between  the  officers  of  the  Army  and  the  officers 
of  the  Navy  as  to  which  branch  of  the  service 
should  have  the  honor  of  carrying  the  epoch- 
making  news  to  Washington.  Beale  left  La  Paz 
a  month  before  Lieutenant  Loeser  of  the  engineers 
and  reached  the  Capital  two  months  before  his 
army  rival,  thanks  to  his  daring  short  cut  across 
Mexico. 

As  was  to  be  expected  of  an  army  man  afloat, 
Lieutenant  Loeser  had  many  misadventures. 
Owing  apparently  to  adverse  winds  the  skipper  of 


With  Carson  on  the  Gila  41 

the  schooner  upon  which  he  embarked  could  not  or 
would  not  land  him  at  Panama  but  carried  him  on 
to  the  port  of  Payta  at  the  mouth  of  the  Guayaquil 
River  in  Peru  and  from  there  the  young  engineer 
made  haste  to  retrace  his  steps  and  cross  the 
Isthmus,  but  in  the  meantime  the  gold-bearing 
midshipman  had  reached  the  Capital.  Commodore 
Jones  had  found  no  authority  in  the  regulations 
to  purchase  a  specimen  of  the  gold,  and  the  nugget 
and  the  sands  which  Beale  carried  were  his  own 
private  property  and  venture.  Col.  Mason,  how 
ever,  commanding  the  army  in  California  at  the 
time,  apparently  at  the  suggestion  of  his  aid,  Lieut. 
W.  T.  Sherman,  purchased  three  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  the  gold  and  turned  it  over  to  Loeser  for 
conveyance  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  This  gold 
was  officially  examined  at  the  mint  and  the  report 
upon  it  published  by  the  Government  set  at  rest  all 
doubt  as  to  the  value  of  the  discovery  which  was 
at  first  hotly  disputed. 

Beale  at  this  time  as  well  as  in  later  life 
always  maintained  that  while  the  discovery  in 
Sutter's  mill-race  was  the  most  important  and  per 
haps  the  first  gold  discovered  in  paying  quantities, 
the  presence  of  gold  in  California  had  been  well 
known  to  the  Mexicans  for  twenty  years  before. 
He  was  also  inclined  to  think  that  the  attempt  of 
the  Russians  to  settle  and  colonize  on  our  Pacific 
Coast,  coming  down  from  Alaska  for  this  purpose, 
was  inspired  by  rumors  of  the  presence  of  gold. 


CHAPTER  IV 
BEALE  BRINGS  FIRST  GOLD  EAST 

Scale's  Daring  Journey  across  Mexico  with  the  First 
Gold — Gente  de  Camino — Mexico  City  and  Minister 
Clifford— Fate  of  Beale's  Guide— Senators  Foote  and 
Benton  Hear  the  Wonderful  Story — William  Carey 
Jones's  Account  of  Journey  in  National  Intelligencer — 
Beale  Introduced  to  the  United  States  Senate— Wise 
"Stay-at-Homes"  Show  Incredulity— Beale  Walks 
down  Wall  Street  with  Mr.  Aspinwall — P.  T.  Barnum 
Wants  to  Exhibit  the  Gold— But  Half  the  Treasure  is 
Fashioned  into  an  Engagement  Ring — Courting  at 
Chester — Ammen's  Letter  to  the  Young  Argonaut — On 
the  Trail  Again — Letter  from  Big  Timber — Beale's 
Description  of  His  Route  across  the  Continent — Along 
the  Thirty-fifth  Parallel— Old  Trail  Develops  into 
Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  F£  Railroad — Chronologi 
cal  Table  of  Beale's  Early  Travels — Marriage  with  Miss 
Edwards — Arctic  Expedition  Proposed — Letters  from 
Captain  Lynch  and  Commodore  Maury — Bayard  Taylor 
Dedicates  His  Book  on  California  to  Beale — Beale  Re 
signs  from  the  Service — He  Retrieves  the  Business 
Ventures  of  Commodore  Stockton  and  Mr.  Aspinwall. 

BEALE  left  the  port  of  La  Paz  near  the  foot 
of  the  peninsula  of  California  on  the  first  of 
August,  and  on  the  fifth  arrived  at  Mazat- 

lan  on  the  west  coast  of  Mexico.     There  he  took 

42 


Po 

00 


o 
^   -S 

M         £X 
OS       ^3 

?    & 

s  ^§ 
s  ^ 

rt 

2 

(XH 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East          43 

passage  in  a  small  Mexican  goleta,  which  after  a 
stormy  voyage  of  five  days  made  the  harbor  of 
San  Bias.  From  San  Bias  he  proposed  to  travel 
overland,  southeast  a  thousand  miles  by  way  of 
Guadalajara  and  Mexico  City  to  Vera  Cruz;  and 
from  here,  on  August  I3th,  he  started  accompanied 
only  by  a  guide  in  spite  of  the  earnest  dissuasions  of 
the  Governor  of  San  Bias  and  of  every  one  else  who 
heard  of  his  project. 

Beale  dressed  himself  for  his  journey  in  a  som 
brero,  a  red  flannel  shirt,  leather  breeches  and  boots. 
He  carried  four  six-barrelled  revolvers,  and  a  knife. 
Being  very  much  sunburned  and  speaking  Spanish 
well  his  chances  of  being  taken  for  a  Mexican  by 
casual  observers  were  fairly  good. 

The  rainy  season  was  just  setting  in  and  the  bad 
roads  becoming  daily  worse,  but  the  real  dangers  of 
the  trip  lay  in  the  bands  of  ladrones  who  infested 
all  the  highways  of  Mexico,  and  whose  numbers  had 
been  hugely  strengthened  by  the  recent  disbanding 
of  Paredes's  army.  By  the  time  Beale  arrived  at 
Tepic  he  had  been  held  up  once  by  three  gente  de 
camino,  who  however  had  made  off  when  con 
fronted  with  great  resolution  and  the  four  American 
revolvers,  and  he  had  become  so  thoroughly 
convinced  of  the  uncertainties  and  perils  of  his 
undertaking  that  he  assumed  the  responsibility  of 
opening  his  despatches  and  making  copies  of  them, 
which  copies  he  enclosed  with  a  note  to  the  Ameri 
can  Minister  at  Mexico  City,  and  put  in  the  mail. 
Then  he  immediately  pushed  on,  travelling  night 


44  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

and  day  and  taking  no  rest  but  by  throwing  himself 
on  the  ground  at  each  post  while  the  saddles  were 
being  changed  to  fresh  horses. 

Once,  before  arriving  at  Guadalajara  a  banda, 
coming  out  of  the  woods  just  at  nightfall,  chased 
him  for  several  hours,  but  he  finally  outrode  them, 
though  not  before  the  foremost  of  them  had  shot 
at  him  a  number  of  times  with  their  carbines.  At 
the  next  post  after  this  adventure  he  heard  of  a 
party  of  eleven  travellers  just  ahead  of  him,  but 
before  he  could  come  up  with  them  they  were 
attacked  by  a  large  party  of  ladrones  and  mur 
dered  to  a  man.  Beale  found  their  blood  still 
staining  the  muddy  ground. 

After  leaving  Guadalajara  the  rainy  season  set 
in  in  full  force.  Furious  storm  succeeded  furious 
storm,  the  water  courses  swelled  into  raging  tor 
rents  which  could  only  be  crossed  by  swimming. 
The  roads  were  blocked  by  uprooted  trees  and 
avalanches  of  stones  and  mud,  and  at  night  Beale 
found  his  way  chiefly  by  the  almost  incessant 
flashes  of  the  lightning.  When  on  the  eighth 
day  he  arrived  at  Mexico  City  he  was  literally 
cased  in  mud,  and  dried  himself  for  the  first  time 
since  leaving  San  Bias.  Mr.  Clifford,  our  Minister 
in  Mexico, *  wishing  also  to  send  despatches,  Beale 

1  Among  the  Beale  papers  is  a  weather-stained  parchment  bearing 
these  credentials. 

To  All  Whom  it  May  Concern.  I  the  undersigned  Minister  of  the 
United  States  residing  in  the  City  of  Mexico  do  hereby  certify  that 
Edward  F.  Beale  is  a  bearer  of  despatches  from  this  Legation  entitled 
to  all  the  privileges  and  immunities  to  which  agents  are  entitled. 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East          45 

was  detained  three  days  while  they  were  prepar 
ing,  but  he  made  up  for  the  delay  by  covering 
the  ninety  leagues  between  Mexico  City  and  Vera 
Cruz  in  the  extraordinary  time  of  sixty  hours, 
in  spite  of  being  held  up  once  more  by  ladrones 
from  whom  he  only  escaped  by  the  speed  of  his 
horse  and  the  reckless  daring  with  which  he  rode 
him  down  an  almost  precipitous  mountainside. 

At  Vera  Cruz  he  slept  under  a  roof  for  the 
first  time  since  leaving  Mazatlan,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  his  two  nights  of  enforced  stay  at  the  Capi 
tal.  The  mind  of  his  unfortunate  guide  had  been 
unhinged  by  the  dangers  and  fatigues  of  the  jour 
ney,  and  the  city  authorities  were  obliged  to  send 
.him  back  under  guard  in  the  diligence. 

Four  days  after  his  arrival  Beale  left  Vera  Cruz 
in  the  sloop-of-war  Germantown,  which  after  a 
tedious  passage  put  him  ashore  at  Mobile. x 

With  his  wonderful  news  of  the  El  Dorado  on  the 
shores  of  the  Pacific  and  his  nugget  and  golden 
sands  to  prove  that  his  was  not  a  mere  sailor's  yarn, 
Beale  received  ovations  wherever  he  went.  Towns 

Given  under  my  hand  and  the  seal  of  the  Legation  at  the  City  of 
Mexico  this  2ist  day  of  August  1848. 

NATHAN  CLIFFORD. 

Attest: 

WM.  WALSH,  Secretary  of  Legation. 

1  Such  wonderful  and  Munchausen-like  exploits  were  attributed  to 
Beale  by  the  press  of  the  cities  and  towns  through  which  he  passed  on 
the  way  to  the  Capital  that  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Washington  the 
young  argonaut  authorized  his  friend,  a  well-known  journalist  of 
the  day,  William  Carey  Jones,  to  publish  a  sober  and  restrained  account 
of  his  feat  in  the  National  Intelligencer.  It  is  from  this  article  that 
the  account  given  above  is  condensed. 


46  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

and  even  hamlets  gave  the  passing  traveller  ban 
quets  while  the  infamous  thirst  for  the  yellow 
metal  began  to  make  itself  felt  in  the  most  austere 
bosoms.  From  Mobile  the  returning  argonaut 
travelled  North  partly  by  stage  and  for  some 
days  at  least  in  the  company  of  Senator  Foote  of 
Mississippi,  who  drank  in  greedily  all  the  tales 
from  the  Pacific  which  were  unfolded  and  who 
upon  their  arrival  in  Washington  insisted  upon 
sharing  with  Bent  on  the  honor  of  introducing  the 
bearer  of  such  momentous  news  to  the  Senate  of 
the  United  States. 

Of  course  there  were  unbelievers,  and  special 
messengers  were  sent  to  California  by  sea  and  by 
land  to  secure  specimens  of  the  alleged  gold  through 
official  channels,  to  be  subjected  to  the  usual  tests  at 
the  mint.  In  Washington  there  were  also  eviden 
ces  of  incredulity,  though  Beale 's  good  faith  in  the 
matter  was  never  attacked.  "It  glitters,  it  looks 
like  gold  but  is  n't,"  was  the  verdict  of  the  wise 
stay-at-homes. 

However,  when  Beale  came  to  New  York  and 
walked  down  Wall  Street  leaning  on  Mr.  Aspin wall's 
arm,  the  gold-hungry  thousands  followed  them, 
broke  into  the  exchange,  and  were  not  to  be  denied 
until  the  golden  nugget  was  produced  and  the 
golden  sands  allowed  to  sift  through  their  hands, 
an  operation  by  which  it  is  said  the  sands  did  not 
seem  to  increase  or  multiply.  P.  T.  Barnum,  then 
fast  rising  to  the  zenith  of  fame  in  the  showman's 
world,  sent  Beale  the  following  letter  which  was 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East          47 

followed  up  by  messages  and  even  with  threats  that 
he  would  come  himself  to  secure  the  great  prize. 

BARNUM'S  MUSEUM, 

PHILADELPHIA. 
LIEUT.  BEALE, 
DEAR  SIR: 

Mr.  Harding  of  the  Enquirer  has  just  informed  me  that 
you  have  in  your  possession  an  8  Ib.  lump  of  California  gold. 
As  I  am  always  anxious  to  procure  novelties  for  public  grat 
ification  I  write  this  to  say  that  I  should  be  glad  to  purchase 
the  lump  at  its  valuation  if  you  will  dispose  of  it  and  if  not 
that  I  should  like  to  procure  it  for  exhibition  for  a  few  weeks. 
A  line  in  reply  will  much  oblige, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  T.  BARNUM. 

.  Feeling  that  he  was  no  longer  in  his  element,  the 
young  naval  officer  showed  he  possessed  that  part 
of  valor  which  is  discretion  and  which  he  had  never 
before  been  suspected  of  possessing.  Suddenly 
Beale  disappeared  from  the  popular  excitement  and 
turmoil  and  the  gold  also  disappeared  from  circula 
tion  among  the  curious.  Half  of  his  trophy,  like  the 
loyal  servant  of  the  people  that  he  was,  Beale  placed 
on  view  in  the  Patent  Office  in  Washington,  and 
the  rest,  by  far  the  heavier  and  better  half  it  is  said, 
he  was  having  fashioned  into  an  engagement  ring 
for  the  young  lady  who  had  consented  to  be  his  wife, 
with  whom  he  was  walking  in  the  shades  and  nooks 
of  "  Green  Bank,"  the  Porters'  estate  at  Chester, 
while  all  the  world  was  wondering  what  had  become 
of  the  youngster  who  had  tired  so  quickly  of  being 
the  man  of  the  hour. 


48  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

It  was  down  in  Chester  also  that  Beale  received 
the  following  letter  from  his  friend  and  classmate 
Daniel  Ammen,  afterwards  a  distinguished  ad 
miral  for  whom  his  affection  only  increased  with 
the  passing  years.  The  letter  told  Beale  what  a 
fine  fellow  they  thought  him,  indeed  knew  him  to 
be,  in  the  service,  and  what  without  the  slightest 
doubt  interested  him  the  most  in  his  frame  of 
mind,  that  "our  class  are  all  marrying." 

STEAMER  "  BIBB," 

NANTUCKET  ISLAND. 
DEAR  NED: 

I  saw  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  that  you  had  arrived 
again  at  the  eastern  part  of  "the  land  of  the  free  and  the 
home  of  the  brave"  and  hope  you  will  be  content  for  a  short 
time  at  least. 

Now,  old  fellow,  come  down  to  Nantucket  and  pass  a 
short  time  catching  fish  and  walking  about  on  the  shore  of 
the  great  sea.  I  am  tired  of  this  damn  monotonous  life  and 
want  to  hear  of  your  last  trip  in  order  to  believe  it.  This  fall 
I  shall  assuredly  go  to  sea  and  when  I  start  it  shall  be  for 
three  cruises  on  end. 

I  see  you  published  in  all  the  papers  and  as  you  are  justly 
a  lion  I  want  you  to  come  on  and  shake  your  tail  at  these 
people.  After  I  saw  of  Fremont's  hard  time  I  was  afraid 
that  you  would  be  unfortunate  and  was  the  more  delighted 
to  see  your  arrival  in  the  East  with  some  of  the  gold  we  read 
of. 

I  got  a  letter  from  Catesby  Jones  dated  the  loth  April 
but  I  have  not  written  him  yet,  indeed  I  think  I  shall  write 
him,  when  I  do,  to  the  East  Indies. 

Our  class  are  all  marrying.  "  Brick-Top  "  is  engaged  to  a 
very  pretty  little  girl  from  Providence  I  think.  I  have  not 
heard  of  Billy  Muse  making  anybody  happy  yet. 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East          49 

We  have  the  great  naturalist,  Agassiz,  on  board  and  as  I 
spoke  of  your  shooting  a  Capiniche,  or  sea  hog  or  sea  bear 
or  some  other  animal  whose  name  I  don't  know,  the  old 
fellow  became  highly  excited  and  hoped  you  would  lend 
him  if  not  give  him  a  skull  if  you  have  one.  He  wishes  also 
to  know  whether  they  live  in  salt  water,  or  brackish  or  fresh. 
If  you  will  be  good  enough  to  send  a  skull  to  Professor 
Agassiz,  Boston,  by  Adams  Express,  the  old  fellow  will  bear 
you  in  grateful  remembrance  during  the  remainder  of  his 
natural  life. 

Are  you  going  soon  to  California  or  in  what  direction  do 
you  think  of  branching  out?  Will  you  come  down  to  Nan- 
tucket  before  you  travel?  Davis,  Rodgers  and  myself  will 
be  delighted  to  see  you. 

Be  good  enough  to  give  my  kindest  regards  to  your 
mother's  family  as  well  as  remember  me  affectionately  to 
any  old  friends  who  may  be  drifting  about  where  you  are 

and  believe  me, 

Truly  your  friend, 

AMMEN. 
ED.  F.  BEALE,  Esq.,  U.  S.  Navy. 

Write  to  me  at  Nantucket.  Don't  forget  the  sea  bear  or 
hog  or  Capiniche.  Raymond  Rodgers  sends  his  kindest 
regards. 

Beale's  vacations  were  always  matters  of  days 
rather  than  of  weeks.  Soon  he  was  proceeding 
overland  to  the  Pacific  and  from  the  Raton 
mountains  writes  the  following  joyous  letter  to  the 
brother  of  his  future  wife. 

CAMP  AT  BIG  TIMBER, 

Dec.  ad,  '48. 
MY  DEAR  HARRY: 

I  have  stopped  awhile  to  get  a  few  buffalo  robes  to 
send  your  mother  and  which  I  hope  will  reach  Chester  with 
this  letter.  I  find  here  three  Americans  trading  with  the 


50  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Indians.  They  have  built  a  couple  of  miserable  huts,  but 
appear  in  spite  of  the  cheerless  and  wretched  appearance  of 
everything  around  them  to  be  making  a  very  excellent  busi 
ness.  There  are  thousands  of  Indians  here  but  most  of 
them  friendly  tribes,  and  those  who  are  not  disposed  to  be  so 
are  kept  in  awe  by  those  who  have  met  here  to  trade.  I 
have  had  a  most  unpleasant  journey  so  far,  and  the  men  I 
have  with  me  are  so  utterly  worthless  that  I  anticipate  many 
difficulties;  not  a  day  passes  that  I  do  not  punish  two  or 
three.  I  have  had  two  affairs  with  the  Indians,  one  of 
which  began  so  seriously  that  for  a  while  I  held  my  breath, 
but  turned  out  in  the  end  a  trifle,  in  the  other  I  came  so  very 
near  losing  my  hair  that  I  am  not  positive  to  this  moment 
that  my  scalp  sticks  to  the  top  of  my  head.  In  the  last  I 
behaved  so  entirely  to  my  own  satisfaction  that  I  have  half 
a  mind  to  tell  you  about  it  and  what  I  did,  but  you  might 
accuse  me  of  boasting  too  much  and  I  am  not  very  anxious 
to  blow  my  own  trumpet. 

The  weather  here  is  most  cruelly,  bitterly  cold,  it  is  snow 
ing  and  freezing.  You  may  form  some  idea  of  the  severity 
of  it  when  I  tell  you  that  a  trader  who  passed  some  sixty 
miles  to  the  southward  of  me  lost  in  one  snowstorm  ninety 
mules  frozen  to  death  in  a  single  night.  I  counted  in  one 
day  myself,  seventy-two  animals  dead  and  dying,  belonging 
to  a  large  company  returning  to  the  United  States.  In  this 
weather  we  have  sometimes  at  night  after  travelling  all 
day  to  cross  the  river  filled  with  floating  masses  of  drift- 
ice  to  get  wood,  and  bring  it  over  again  to  camp,  and  this 
where  the  river  is  from  three  to  five  or  six  hundred  yards  in 
width.  I  mean  no  disparagement  to  your  manhood,  Harry, 
but  I  do  not  really  think  you  could  stand  what  I  am  doing, 
nor  could  I  endure  it  but  that  I  am  constantly  buoyed  up  by 
the  hope  of  returning  to  you  all  once  more. 

I  get  from  the  traders  here  most  discouraging  accounts  of 
the  Raton  Mountains,  which  I  am  just  now  about  to  cross. 
It  is  said  they  are  impassable  but  I  have  passed  impassable 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East          51 

places  before.  They  tell  me  also  to  tie  my  hair  on  before 
starting,  as  every  party  ahead  of  me  has  been  attacked  and 
defeated  by  the  Apaches.  The  troops  even  have  been 
whipped  and  driven  off  by  them — regular  soldiers  that  were 
sent  against  them.  A  party  of  eighteen  men  were  attacked 
a  short  time  since  and  several  whom  I  knew  very  well,  killed. 

If  you  can  let  my  mother  know  that  you  have  heard  from 
me  do  so.  I  have  not  time  to  write  to  her.  Say  that  I  am 
doing  well  and  happy  and  above  all  things  don't  drop  a 
word  about  Indians.  My  best  of  warmest  love  to  your 
sister,  to  whom  I  shall  write  from  Santa  Fe.  Tell  her  I  am 
very  happy,  happy  because  I  am  always  thinking  of  her  and 
my  return. 

I  write  in  great  haste  and  a  snowstorm  is  no  place  for 
letter  writing.  Love  to  those  who  love  me. 

God  bless  you.     Ever  yours, 

NED. 

The  following  is  Beale's  description  of  his  trans 
continental  route,  which  soon  after  his  first  crossing 
began  to  play  a  great  r61e  in  the  development  of  the 
Southwest  and  the  Pacific  Coast,  as  indeed  it  does 
to-day,  though  now  stone  ballasted  and  iron  railed. 

Our  route  was  along  the  35th  parallel  of  latitude  and  our 
furthest  variation  did  not  exceed  fifty-five  miles.  From 
our  point  of  departure  in  New  Mexico  to  the  Colorado 
River,  the  easternmost  boundary  of  Mexico,  the  distance 
travelled  did  not  exceed  470  miles  and  there  was  everywhere 
an  abundance  of  wood,  water,  and  grass. 

The  chain  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  was  passed  but  the 
elevation  was  so  unimportant  that  the  exploring  caravan  of 
men,  camels,  horses  and  mules  was  not  conscious  of  the  fact. 
The  route  was  explored  in  mid-summer  and  retra veiled  in 
the  very  dead  of  winter  yet  neither  impediments  of  drought 
nor  snows  were  met  with  either  way. 


52  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

In  February,  1 880,  the  first  train  over  the  Atchi- 
son  Railroad  arrived  at  Santa  Fe  and  the  old  trail, 
so  long  known  as  Beale's  "track,"  was  closed,  to 
interstate  commerce  at  least,  forever. 

Among  the  Beale  papers  is  a  chronological  table 
of  these  early  years  of  active  restless  travel  which 
in  later  life  General  Beale  wrote  out  at  the  request 
of  his  son.  It  is  condensed  and  skeletonized  to 
a  degree,  and,  characteristically,  all  references  to 
battles  fought  and  honors  won  are  omitted. 

Few  men's  lives  reveal  such  a  period  of  prolonged 
activity  as  is  here  disclosed,  and  one  can  only  regret 
that  the  diaries  and  the  route  journals,  which  even 
at  this  early  date  young  Beale  was  accustomed  to 
keep,  were  in  part  lost  through  the  vicissitudes  of 
the  journeys  which  they  describe,  or  only  survive 
entombed  in  government  archives. 

The  paper  runs: 

Lieutenant  Edward  F.  Beale  left  the  United  States  on 
board  the  Congress  in  October,  1845,  and  twenty  days 
after  was  transferred  to  a  vessel  bound  to  England  as 
bearer  of  despatches  for  the  United  States,  and  he  reached 
the  United  States  between  the  I7th  and  the  2Oth  of  March, 
1846.  Left  for  Callao,  Peru,  with  despatches  about  April 
ist,  1846,  and  reached  Callao  in  about  six  weeks  by  the 
Panama  route.  Sailed  from  Callao  to  California  via  Sand 
wich  Islands  in  the  Congress,  and  arrived  at  San  Francisco 
about  July  2Oth,  1846.  Served  on  shore  with  the  army 
until  the  conquest  of  the  country  was  completed,  which  was 
in  February,  1847,  when  he  was  sent  home  with  despatches 
by  Commodore  Stockton  by  overland  route. 

Arrived  in  Washington  about  last  of  May,  1847,  and  was 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East  53 

sent  back  immediately  across  the  plains  with  despatches, 
was  taken  sick  and  thus  found  upon  the  plains,  and  was 
carried  back  insensible  to  St.  Louis.  In  the  fall  of  1847, 
he  returned  to  the  Pacific  via  Panama  with  despatches  for 
Commodore  Jones  at  Callao,  and  sailed  from  Callao  to 
Mazatlan  on  board  the  Ohio  and  served  on  shore  at  Mazat- 
lan  in  command  of  a  company  until  we  heard  of  peace  about 
August,  1848,  when  he  was  sent  through  Mexico,  disguised 
as  a  Spaniard  via  Vera  Cruz  to  Washington  with  despatches 
and  arrived  at  Washington  during  September,  1848. 

About  the  I4th  of  October,  1848,  received  despatches 
from  Secretary  Marcey  for  Santa  Fe  and  California,  and 
arrived  at  Santa  F£  December  25th,  1848,  on  foot  and 
nearly  naked.  Continued  journey  and  arrived  at  San 
Francisco  about  April  loth,  1849.  Left  San  Francisco  with 
despatches  for  Washington  April  I3th,  1849,  and  arrived  at 
Washington  about  June  lyth,  1849. 

Left  Washington  with  despatches  for  California  overland 
for  Commodore  Jones,  June  27th,  1849,  and  arrived  at  San 
Francisco  about  August  I7th.  Returned  almost  immedi 
ately  with  despatches  and  arrived  at  Washington  during 
December,  1849. 

Well  might  Carson,  who  was  a  traveller  and 
despatch  bearer  himself,  have  been  aghast,  as  he 
frankly  confessed  that  he  was,  at  the  activity  of 
his  young  navy  friend,  born  and  grown  to  manhood 
in  the  effete  East. 

Here  concludes  the  adventurous  period  of  the 
pioneer  and  the  day  of  the  resolute  Forty-niner 
begins. 

Miss  Mary  Edwards,  who  now  became  the  help 
mate  as  well  as  wife  of  Beale,  accompanied  him  to 
California  where  in  San  Francisco  their  son  Trux- 


54  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

tun  was  born.  Miss  Edwards  came  of  an  old 
Delaware  County  family  and  of  Quaker  stock, 
her  ancestors  having  accompanied  Penn  from 
England  on  his  venture  in  the  New  World  in  the 
year  1682.  Her  father,  Samuel  Edwards,  was  only 
thirty-three  years  of  age  when  elected  to  Congress 
and  he  represented  Delaware  County  in  the  lower 
house  for  many  years.  In  later  life  Mr.  Edwards's 
health  was  far  from  robust  but  he  practised  suc 
cessfully  at  the  bar  and  served  as  Chief  Burgess 
and  Collector  of  Customs  at  Chester,  Pa.  In  his 
obituary  the  Philadelphia  Press  wrote  with  truth: 
"  During  the  administrations  of  Jackson  and  Van 
Buren,  George  G.  and  Samuel  L.  Leiper,  Samuel 
Edwards  and  James  Buchanan  were  the  powers 
behind  the  throne. " 

The  Arctic  expedition  to  which  the  following  let 
ters  refer  was  planned  in  1850.  Captain  Lynch, 
U.  S.  Navy,  was  to  have  been  in  command  and  he 
was,  as  this  correspondence  shows,  most  anxious 
to  obtain  the  services  of  Beale  as  his  first  lieuten 
ant.  Mr.  Henry  Grinnell,  the  wealthy  New  York 
merchant  who  afterwards  financed  the  Dr.  Kane 
expedition,  appeared  in  the  matter  as  principal 
financial  backer.  While  Beale  was  preparing  him 
self  for  adventurous  activity  in  this  new  sphere 
there  came  from  the  Arctic  contradictory  news  in 
regard  to  the  fate  of  Franklin,  and  there  were 
further  delays  on  account  of  Captain  Lynch's 
health  which  had  become  impaired  by  his  travels 
in  Asia  Minor  and  the  Holy  Land.  When  a  few 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East  55 

months  later,  through  Maury,  Mr.  Grinnell  offered 
the  chief  command  to  Beale,  he  had  already  made 
an  arrangement  with  Commodore  Stockton  to 
return  to  California  in  charge  of  the  latter's 
business  interests  there  which  he  did  not  feel  that 
he  was  at  liberty  to  break. 

There  are  at  this  time  references  in  the  Beale 
papers  to  an  expedition  to  explore  the  Gulf  of 
Darien  with  the  idea  of  ascertaining  the  exact  loca 
tion  of  the  water-way  across  the  Isthmus,  which, 
curiously  enough,  despite  the  innumerable  scien 
tific  surveys  which  have  been  made,  the  San 
Bias  Indians  to  this  day  maintain  exists,  at  least 
in  the  rainy  season.  Beale  was  asked  to  head 
this  expedition  and  accepted.  The  necessary 
funds,  however,  were  not  forthcoming  and  the 
matter  hung  fire  for  many  years.  Ultimately  the 
desired  survey  was  carried  out  by  a  naval  expe 
dition  under  the  auspices  of  the  Government  with 
but  meagre  results.  Mention  of  these  two  widely 
divergent  expeditions  is  made,  two  from  among 
many  others,  to  show  how  Beale's  daring  and 
adventurous  spirit  had  captivated  public  opinion 
and  how  generally  recognized  both  in  and  out  of  the 
service  was  his  ability  to  command  and  to  undertake 
desperate  hazards.  It  was  at  this  moment,  when 
the  popularity  of  the  "Hero  of  San  Pasqual"  was 
at  its  height,  when  he  was  the  idol  of  the  Southwest 
and  the  new  world  that  was  coming  into  being  on 
the  Pacific  Coast,  that  Beale,  in  recognition  of  his 
family  responsibilities,  had  the  courage  to  resign, 


56  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

there  being  no  enemies  of  his  country  in  sight, 
and  go  into  a  business  which  must  have  seemed 
humdrum  to  his  adventurous  spirit.  But  Beale 
always  recognized  the  call  of  duty  and  the  adven 
tures  had  not  all  been  of  his  seeking,  they  came  by 
the  way.  The  offer  of  service  in  the  Arctic  was 
made  in  the  following  terms: 

DEAR  SIR: 

Although  personally  a  stranger  to  you,  the  subject  of 
this  letter  will,  I  trust,  be  its  ample  apology. 

When  I  first  volunteered  to  go  in  quest  of  Sir  Jno.  Frank 
lin  and  his  companions,  it  was  my  purpose,  if  my  application 
was  successful,  to  have  asked  you  to  accompany  me,  for 
although  you  are  recently  married,  I  have  not  done  your 
partner  the  injustice  to  class  her  among  weak  and  frivolous 
wives,  but  rather,  regarded  her  as  one  who  would  cheer  you 
in  an  undertaking  which  would  enhance  your  reputation 
and  embellish  ( ?)  your  name. 

The  long  interval  that  was  supinely  suffered  to  elapse 
had  nearly  taken  all  hope,  when  a  recent  letter  from  the 
Rev'd  Mr.  Scoresby,  written  at  the  instance  of  Lady  Frank 
lin,  has  reinvigorated  me.  In  that  letter,  I  am  told  that 
Lady  F.  and  her  friends  place  little  reliance  on  the  expedi 
tion  now  being  equipped  by  the  Admiralty,  and  which  is  to 
pursue  the  route  by  Behring's  Straits.  Their  greatest  hope 
is  in  us  and  the  eastern  route.  If  that  lady  carries  her 
intention  into  effect  and  comes  to  this  country,  I  have  little 
doubt  that  an  expedition  will  be  authorized.  I  use  the 
term  authorized,  because  Congress  may  not  feel  justified  in 
appropriating  money,  especially  for  such  an  object,  while 
its  sanction  or  that  of  the  Executive  would  be  necessary  to  a 
military  organization,  without  which,  I  presume,  no  officer 
of  respectability  would  undertake  it. 

Should  it  be  undertaken  and  I  be  appointed  to  lead  it, 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East          57 

will  you  embark  with  me?  Do  not  answer  with  precipita 
tion,  for  I  know  that  you  will  never  withdraw  a  pledge,  and 
I  only  wish  to  receive  one  after  full  deliberation. 

If  you  decide  to  cast  your  lot  with  me,  in  the  above  event, 
I  would,  of  course,  stipulate  that  you  should  be  second  in 
command. 

My  reasons  for  applying  to  you  are  twofold — first  physi 
cal,  for  my  own  constitution  is  a  weak,  while  yours,  from  all  I 
can  learn,  is  a  vigorous  and  hardy  one,  and  secondly,  you 
have  the  moral  qualities,  unshrinking  courage  and  in 
domitable  perseverance  which  are  indispensable  for  such  an 
undertaking. 

It  would  be  my  aim  to  pass  through  Wellington  Channel 
and  make  our  winter  quarters  on  the  north  shore  of  Mel 
ville  Island.  If  in  our  route  thither  we  were  unsuccessful 
in  our  search,  I  would  during  the  winter  despatch  parties 
to  the  north  to  reach  the  pole  if  possible,  the  other  to  the 
west  towards  Behring's  Straits — the  members  of  each  party 
to  be  surmounted  on  skates,  with  light  boats  fixed  on 
metallic  sleigh  runners.  If  neither  of  those  parties  should 
discover  the  English  ships  or  their  crews,  there  would  be  no 
longer  doubt  of  their  having  perished.  When  the  summer 
opened,  therefore,  I  would  feel  justified  in  making  a  bold 
push  with  the  ship  for  Behring's  Straits,  through  which  if 
I  could  only  succeed  in  carrying  the  Am.  flags  I  could  die 
content.  Even  at  the  worst  it  is  a  noble  cause  to  die  in  : 
but  you  have  endearing  attachments  to  the  world,  and  I 
would  not  have  you  thoughtlessly  link  your  fate  with  one 
so  desolate  as  myself. 

Please  answer  this  at  your  leisure  and  let  no  editor  of  a 
paper  see  or  hear  anything  of  it. 

Uncertain  of  your  direction,  I  will  send  this  to  the 
department  to  be  forwarded  to  you. 

With  great  respect, 
Your  obt.  serv't, 

W.  F.  LYNCH,  U.  S.  N. 

Baltimore,  Jan'y  n,  1850. 


58  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Lieut.  E.  F.  BEALE,  U.  S.  Navy. 

WASHINGTON  OBSERVATORY, 

Feb.  28th. 

DEAR  SIR: 

I  am  requested  to  sound  you  as  to  a  private  expedition 
after  Sir  John  Franklin.  If  you  will  come  up  I  will  tell  you 
all  I  know  and  all  that  I  am  authorized  to  say  to  you  on  this 
subject.  In  the  meantime  I  am  enjoined  to  regard  the 
matter  as  a  great  secret  which  you  are  to  help  me  to  keep. 

Yours  truly, 

M.  F.  MAURY. 

I  also  reproduce  one  of  the  many  letters  which 
Beale  received  from  Bayard  Taylor  at  this  time: 

"TRIBUNE"  OFFICE,  NEW  YORK, 

March  26th,  1850. 
MY  DEAR  BEALE: 

What  has  become  of  you?  That  you  are  somewhere  in 
the  country  I  know  and  I  send  this  note  to  Chester  hoping 
it  may  reach  you.  I  was  in  Washington  two  weeks  ago  but 
you  were  not  there.  I  should  have  stopped  a  few  hours  at 
Chester  had  I  not  happened  to  be  in  the  midnight  train. 
Let  me  hear  from  you  and  don't  attempt  to  go  to  California 
without  passing  through  here.  Stoddard  tells  me  he  has 
not  seen  you  so  I  judge  you  have  not  been  here  yet.  Are 
you  going  to  California  and  when  if  so?  or  are  you  to  be 
sent  into  the  unknown  Central  Region?  Let  me  know  I 
pray  you  for  I  am  anxious  to  hear  from  you  and  more 
anxious  to  see  you. 

I  had  an  odd,  exciting,  adventurous  ride  of  it  through 
Mexico  and  should  like  to  compare  notes  with  you. 

I  am  working  day  and  night  on  my  book1  and  expect  to 
get  it  through  the  press  in  two  weeks,  will  you  allow  me  to 
dedicate  it  to  you?  As  the  best  friend  and  comrade  I  had 

1  Eldorado  or  Adventures  in  the  Path  of  Empire,  by  Bayard  Taylor. 
George  P.  Putnam,  New  York;  Richard  Bentley,  London,  1850. 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East  59 

on  the  trip  it  is  properly  owing  to  you.     I  shall  try  and 
make  the  volumes  such  as  you  will  be  satisfied  with. 

Pray  give  my  best  regards  to  Mrs.  Beale  and  believe  me 
ever, 

Most  faithfully  yours, 

BAYARD  TAYLOR. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  from  the  moment 
of  his  first  visit  to  California,  Beale  saw  in  his 
mind's  eye  the  great  city  that  was  to  grow  up  at  the 
Golden  Gate,  and  command  the  commerce  of  the 
Pacific.  He  had  that  instinct  of  prophecy,  which 
is  called  "luck,"  in  an  eminent  degree.  On  his 
return  East,  he  often  spoke  to  his  mother  and  to  his 
friends  of  the  many  opportunities  that  presented 
themselves  for  acquiring  fortune  in  California; 
but  for  the  most  part  his  words  fell  upon  deaf  ears. 
Indeed,  Mrs.  Beale  was  very  anxious  at  what  she 
considered  her  son's  inclination  toward  wildcat 
speculation.  Though  the  daughter  and  the  widow 
of  naval  officers,  Mrs.  Beale  was  in  affluent  cir 
cumstances  for  those  days,  and  she  absolutely 
refused  to  follow  her  son's  advice  to  purchase  either 
for  herself  or  for  her  children  any  of  the  large 
Mexican  land  grants,  which  were  going  begging 
at  any  price.  In  answer  to  her  son's  suggestions, 
Mrs.  Beale  said,  quite  emphatically,  "What,  buy 
land  out  in  that  wilderness  ?  Never ! ' ' 

The  consequence  of  Mrs.  Beale's  conservative 
views  regarding  Western  investments  was  that  her 
foresighted  son  had  to  wait  some  years  before  lay 
ing  the  foundation  of  his  fortune,  but,  as  he  always 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East  61 

which  his  enthusiasm  had  led  him  and  Aspinwall 
had  come  to  a  point  where  he  evidently  doubted 
the  wisdom  of  throwing  good  money  after  bad,  and 
shortly  after  Beale  reached  California  on  his  mis 
sion  of  salvage  all  money  supplies  were  cut  off  and 
willy-nilly  the  Stockton- Aspinwall  enterprise  had  to 
become  a  going  concern  or  go  into  bankruptcy. 

In  this  crisis  Beale  gave  a  foretaste  of  the  remark 
able  business  ability  which  distinguished  him  in 
after-life.  He  made  a  hurried  trip  to  the  mines  and 
the  haciendas  in  which  his  backers  had  invested 
with  such  haste.  In  the  mines  there  was  promise  of 
wealth  in  the  future  and  in  the  haciendas  there  was 
also  the  assurance  of  comfortable  returns  in  later 
years,  but  for  the  present  there  was  no  money  in 
sight  and  he  knew  nothing  more  could  be  ex 
pected  from  the  East,  at  least  not  for  many  months 
to  come.  In  his  journey  Beale  had  personal 
experience  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  transpor 
tation  and  of  its  costliness  when  once  obtained, 
and  like  a  flash  the  business  inspiration  came :  the 
mines  could  wait  and  even  the  haciendas  vegetate, 
gold-seekers  thronged  every  trail  and  people  were 
willing  to  pay  any  price  to  get  to  the  river  of 
Golden  Sands.  In  a  few  days  Beale  had  converted 
the  great  mining  and  real  estate  enterprise  into 
a  transportation  concern,  the  mining  experts  were 
turned  into  the  leaders  of  mule  trains,  book 
keepers  were  learning  how  to  drive,  and  Beale  was 
king  of  all  the  transportation  on  the  roads  that  led 
from  Sacramento  and  Marysville  to  the  American 


62  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Fork  and  the  lands  adjoining  Sutter's  ranch  and 
mill,  then  the  centre  of  the  first  mining  region. 

Beale  knew  of  course  that  this  stream  of  passen 
gers  who  were  willing  to  pay  any  price  for  accommo 
dations  would  not  flow  on  forever.  He  worked 
the  makeshift,  however,  for  what  it  was  worth  and 
at  the  end  of  nine  months,  when  they  were  expecting 
anything  but  favorable  news,  he  reported  to  his 
principals  in  the  East  that  profits  slightly  exceeding 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  were  awaiting  their 
orders.  Rear- Admiral  Harmony,  U.  S.  N.,  retired, 
one  of  Beale 's  few  surviving  shipmates  to  whom  the 
writer  of  this  narrative  is  indebted  for  many  per 
sonal  notes  and  intimate  touches  which  could  not 
otherwise  have  been  obtained,  relates  that  he  rode 
on  the  Marysville  stage  with  a  pass  from  Ned  Beale 
when  a  ticket  would  have  cost  him  three  months' 
pay,  and  that  he  witnessed  a  test  which  he  did  not 
expect  even  Beale's  popularity  to  survive.  The 
company  was  charging  one  dollar  a  pound  to  trans 
port  freight  from  Sacramento  to  the  diggings  and 
yet  Ned  Beale  remained  the  most  universally 
beloved  man  in  the  country. 

Before  he  went  East  the  following  year,  to 
re-enter  the  Government  service,  though  nothing 
was  farther  from  his  thoughts  than  so  doing  until 
he  reached  Washington,  Beale  had  accumulated 
thirteen  thousand  dollars  as  his  agreed  percentage 
of  the  profits.  With  this  money  he  made  the 
intelligent  investments  which  in  ten  years  brought 
him  to  affluence  and  even  to  great  wealth.  He  had 


Beale  Brings  First  Gold  East  63 

also  earned  and  received  a  blessing  from  his  old 
commander,  Stockton,  a  fine  sailor,  but  who  was 
somewhat  out  of  his  element  in  business  or 
politics. 


CHAPTER  V 
FIRST  STEPS  IN  OUR  INDIAN  POLICY 

Lieut.  Beale  Appointed  by  President  Fillmore  General 
Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  for  California  and 
Nevada — Congress  Appropriates  Two  Hundred  and 
Fifty  Thousand  Dollars  to  Carry  into  Effect  Beale's 
Plans — Indian  Tribes  to  be  Colonized  and  Protected 
on  Reservations — Beale's  Journey  from  the  Valley 
of  the  Mississippi  to  California  along  the  Central 
Route  as  Described  by  Himself  and  Mr.  Heap 
— Westport,  Kansas,  and  the  "Stirrup  Cup" — 
Fort  Atkinson  and  Pike's  Peak  and  the  Huer- 
fano  River — Plains  of  the  Arkansas  and  Fort 
Massachusetts. 

ON  Nov.  nth,  1852,  Lieutenant  Beale,  who 
was  in  Washington1  at  the  time,  was  ap 
pointed  by  President  Fillmore  General  Su 
perintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  for  California  and 

1  There  was  some  slight  opposition  to  the  appointment  of  Beale  as 
Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs.  Beale  was  opposed  more  as  a  Fre 
mont  man  than  for  anything  he  had  done  himself.  While  the  nomina 
tion  was  before  the  Senate  and  still  waiting  confirmation,  Fremont 
wrote  a  letter  giving  the  most  explicit  denial  to  the  charge  that  he, 
Fremont,  had  profited  out  of  army  contracts  upon  which  he  had  passed 
in  his  official  capacity.  He  further  stated  that  Beale  had  never  been 
connected  with  him  "in  any  business  transactions  whatsoever,"  and 
the  nomination  was  immediately  confirmed. 

64 


Our  Indian  Policies  65 

Nevada.1  Lieutenant  Beale's  views  on  all  ques 
tions  relating  to  the  welfare  of  the  Indians  were 
well  known ;  they  had  in  fact  indicated  the  appoint 
ment  which  was  duly  confirmed  by  the  Senate. 

At  the  time  fears,  which  subsequent  events 
showed  were  anything  but  idle,  were  freely  ex^ 
pressed  that  the  growing  friction  between  emigrants 
and  settlers  in  California  and  the  Indians  would 
soon  develop  into  a  savage  warfare  all  along 
the  new  and  almost  wholly  unprotected  frontier. 
Fillmore  and  Benton,  the  first  of  our  statesmen  to 
have  an  eye  on  the  Pacific  world,  were  convinced 
that  Beale  well  understood  the  critical  situation 
and  was  the  one  man  available  who  could  cope 
with  it  successfully.  In  consequence  Beale  re 
ceived  the  appointment  under  which  he  was  clothed 
with  powers  which  were  afterwards  described  in 
the  Senate,  and  most  correctly  described,  as  being 
"  vice-regal  in  breadth  and  scope  and  finality. " 

On  the  third  day  of  March,  1853,  Congress,  not 
to  be  behindhand,  passed  a  law  appropriating 
$250,000  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  into  effect  the 

1  The  thought  is  suggested  by  the  following  almost  illegible  note  among 
the  Beale  papers  that  while  our  Presidents  are  as  hard  worked  as  were 
their  predecessors  they  most  certainly  do  not  begin  business  at  such  an 
early  hour  as  President  Fillmore  would  seem  to  have  done.  The  note 
reads : 

"The  president  will  meet  you  and  myself  at  the  White  House  on 
Tuesday  morning  at  half -past  seven  o'clock. 

"R.  W.  — . 

"  LIEUT.  BEALE.     March  2yth,  1853." 

Unfortunately  the  last  letter  or  rather  initial  of  the  friend  who 
summoned  Beale  to  this  early  morning  conference  with  the  President  is 
hopelessly  illegible. 
5 


66  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

plan  which  Lieutenant  Beale  had  proposed  for 
the  better  protection,  subsistence,  and  coloniz 
ation  of  the  Indian  tribes  within  his  superin- 
tendency. 

The  President  having  given  his  approval  to  this 
plan,  Lieutenant  Beale  was  instructed  to  proceed 
forthwith  by  the  shortest  route  to  his  superinten- 
dency,  and  to  select  lands  most  suitable  for  Indian 
reservations.  He  was  also  directed,  in  connection 
with  this  plan,  to  examine  the  Territories  of  New 
Mexico  and  Utah,  where  their  frontiers  and  those 
of  California  lie  contiguous,  and  to  ascertain 
whether  lands  existed  there  to  which  the  California 
Indians  might,  with  advantage,  be  removed. 

The  route  selected  by  Lieutenant  Beale  was,  in 
conformity  with  his  instructions,  the  shortest  and 
most  direct  to  California,  and  it  also  enabled  him 
to  examine,  with  the  least  delay,  the  localities  to 
which  it  was  believed  that  the  Indians  of  California 
might  be  removed  with  advantage  to  themselves, 
should  suitable  lands  for  the  purpose  be  found. 

While  Lieutenant  Beale  was  collecting  his  party 
and  arranging  the  transportation  problems  which 
the  adventurous  journey  imposed,  he  was  joined 
in  the  undertaking  by  his  kinsman,  Mr.  Gwinn 
Harris  Heap,  who  was  also  desirous  of  proceeding 
to  California.  Together  they  determined  to  com 
bine  with  the  hazards  of  an  overland  journey,  a 
preliminary  survey  of  a  route  for  the  railway  which 
even  at  this  early  day  was  in  contemplation,  from 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  to  California,  which 


Our  Indian  Policies  67 

quaintly  enough  Mr.  Heap  always  refers  to  in  his 
journal  as  "our  Pacific  possessions.'* z 

We  left  Washington  on  the  2Oth  of  April,  and 
arrived  at  St.  Louis  the  2d,  Kanzas  the  5th,  and 
Westport  the  6th  of  May. 

Westport  is  a  thriving  place,  situated  four  miles 
from  Kanzas ;  and  emigrants  from  Missouri  to  Cali 
fornia  and  Oregon  make  either  this  place  or  Inde 
pendence  their  starting-point.  At  both  towns  all 
necessary  supplies  can  be  obtained  at  reasonable 
rates,  and  their  merchants  and  mechanics,  being 
constantly  required  to  supply  the  wants  of  travel 
lers  on  the  plains,  keep  on  hand  such  articles  as  are 
best  adapted  for  an  overland  journey.  Kanzas,  a 
newer  place,  is  also  thriving,  and  a  fine  river  landing. 
Our  party  was  composed  of  twelve  persons,  viz: 

E.    F.    BEALE,    Superintendent   of   Indian 
Affairs  in  California. 

G.  HARRIS  HEAP. 

ELISHA  RIGGS,      of  Washington. 

WILLIAM  RIGGS     " 

WILLIAM  ROGERS  " 

HENRY  YOUNG. 

J.  WAGNER. 

J.  COSGROVE. 

'In  1854,  the  account  of  this  journey,  taken  from  the  journals  of 
Lieutenant  Beale  and  of  Mr.  Heap,  was  published  in  Philadelphia  by 
Lippincott  and  in  London  by  Triibner.  These  journals  are  of  course 
largely  drawn  upon  in  the  following  chapters  for  a  description  of  what 
the  pioneers  called  the  Central  Route  to  the  Pacific  and  for  many  of 
the  interesting  adventures  which  befell  them  on  the  way. 


68  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

RICHARD  BROWN  (a  Delaware  Indian). 
GREGORIO  MADRID  (a  Mexican). 
JESUS  GARCIA  (a  Mexican). 
GEORGE  SIMMS  (colored  man). 

May  15.  All  our  arrangements  being  com 
pleted,  we  started  from  Westport  at  3  P.M.  A 
party  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  accompanied  us  a 
few  miles  into  the  prairie,  and  drank  a  "  stirrup 
cup"  of  champagne  to  the  success  of  our  journey. 
The  weather  was  bright  and  clear,  and,  after  a 
pleasant  ride  of  twelve  miles  over  prairies  enam 
elled  with  flowers,  we  encamped  at  thirty  minutes 
after  six  P.M.  on  Indian  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the 
Kanzas,  fringed  with  a  thick  growth  of  cotton- 
woods  and  willows.  Day's  march,  12  miles. 

May  1 8.  We  had  a  severe  thunder  arid  rain 
storm,  which  lasted  all  night ;  the  wind  blew  strong 
from  the  southward,  and  the  lightning  was  inces 
sant  and  vivid.  One  of  those  balls  of  fire  which 
sometimes  descend  to  the  earth  during  violent 
thunderstorms,  fell  and  exploded  in  our  midst. 
The  mules,  already  terrified  by  the  constant  peals 
of  thunder,  became  frantic  with  fear;  and  when 
this  vivid  light  was  seen,  accompanied  with  a  report 
like  the  crack  of  a  rifle,  neither  picket-pins  nor 
hobbles  could  hold  them;  they  rushed  through  the 
camp,  overturning  everything  in  their  course — 
their  ropes  and  halters  lashing  right  and  left,  and 
increasing  their  panic.  They  were  stopped  by  an 
elbow  of  the  creek,  where  they  were  found  a  few 


Our  Indian  Policies  69 

minutes  after,  huddled  together,  and  quivering 
with  fear.  It  was  fortunate  for  us  that  they  did 
not  take  to  the  open  prairie,  as  we  would  have  had 
much  difficulty  in  recovering  them.  This  was  our 
first  experience  in  a  stampede,  and  to  prevent  a 
recurrence  of  such  accidents  we  after  this  placed 
the  animals  in  the  centre,  and,  dividing  our  party 
into  twos  and  threes,  slept  in  a  circle  around  them. 
By  using  such  precautions  we  were  never  subjected 
to  this  annoyance  again,  except  once,  after  entering 
the  country  of  the  Utahs. 

A  ride  of  twenty-five  miles  brought  us  to  a  hollow, 
where,  finding  good  water,  we  encamped.  Resting 
but  a  short  time  we  continued  our  journey  and  in 
ten  miles,  over  a  rich  rolling  country,  arrived  at 
Council  Grove,  where  our  train  was  waiting  for  us. 

Council  Grove  is  situated  in  a  rich  grassy  bottom, 
well  watered  and  heavily  timbered.  It  is  a  settle 
ment  of  about  twenty  frame  and  log  houses,  and 
scattered  up  and  down  the  stream  are  several 
Indian  villages.  At  a  short  distance  from  the 
road  is  a  large  and  substantially  built  Methodist 
mission-house  constructed  of  limestone,  which  is 
found  here  in  inexhaustible  quantities.  This  stone 
is  excellent  as  a  building  material  and  lies  in  strata 
of  from  six  inches  to  three  feet  in  thickness ;  lintels 
and  arches  are  made  of  it  as  it  is  extracted  from  the 
quarries,  which  extend  for  fifteen  miles  up  the 
stream.  Day's  march,  32  miles;  total  distance, 
122  miles. 

Since  our  departure  from  Westport  we  had  seen 


70  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

many  graves  on  each  side  of  the  road,  and  some  of 
the  camping-places  had  the  appearance  of  village 
graveyards.  The  cholera  raged  on  the  plains  a 
few  years  ago,  occasioning  a  fearful  mortality, 
and  these  mounds  remain  to  attest  its  ravages. 
Through  carelessness  or  haste,  they  were  often  too 
shallow  to  protect  their  contents  from  the  wolves, 
and  it  frequently  happened  that  he  who  in  the 
morning  was  hastening  forward  in  health  and 
spirits  towards  the  golden  bourne,  was  ere  night 
a  mangled  corpse,  his  bones  scattered  by  the  savage 
hunger  of  the  wolf,  over  the  plain. 

May  20.  Resumed  our  march  at  noon,  and 
travelled  over  a  flat  uninteresting  country  with 
little  water.  This  day  saw  antelope  for  the  first 
time.  Met  Major  Rucker,  and  Lieutenants  Heath 
and  Robinson  on  their  way  from  New  Mexico  to 
Fort  Leaven  worth.  They  informed  us  that  at  a 
short  distance  in  advance  of  us  were  large  bands  of 
buffalo.  Encamped,  as  the  sun  was  setting,  on  a 
brook  called  Turkey  Creek,  where  we  found  an 
abundant  supply  of  water,  but  no  wood.  We 
here  overtook  Mr.  Antoine  Leroux,  on  his  way  to 
Taos,  and  considered  ourselves  fortunate  in  se 
curing  the  services  of  so  experienced  a  guide.  He 
did  not  join  us  at  once,  as  he  was  desirous  of  seeing 
his  train  safely  over  one  or  two  bad  places  in 
advance  of  us,  but  promised  to  overtake  us  in  a 
day  or  two.  Day's  march,  35  miles;  distance  from 
Westport,  1 89  miles. 

May  21.     We  were  all  on  the  lookout  for  buffa- 


Our  Indian  Policies  71 

loes.  It  was  five  days  since  we  had  left  Westport, 
and  as  yet  our  eyes  had  not  been  gladdened  by  the 
sight  of  even  one.  Hoping  to  fall  in  with  them 
more  readily  by  diverging  from  the  beaten  track, 
I  left  the  party  soon  after  sunrise,  and  turning  to 
the  left,  went  a  few  miles  in  the  direction  of  the 
Arkansas.  After  a  ride  of  two  hours,  I  observed 
afar  off  many  dark  objects  which  resembled  trees 
skirting  the  horizon,  but,  after  a  closer  scrutiny, 
their  change  of  position  convinced  me  that  they 
were  buffaloes.  I  slowly  approached  them,  and, 
in  order  to  obtain  a  nearer  view  without  giving 
them  the  alarm,  dismounted,  and,  urging  my 
horse  forward,  concealed  myself  behind  him.  I 
thus  got  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  herd. 
Bands  of  antelope  and  prairie  wolves  were  in 
termingled  with  the  buffaloes,  who  had  come 
down  to  a  rivulet  to  drink.  Of  the  latter 
some  were  fighting,  others  wallowing,  drinking, 
or  browsing.  I  was  just  congratulating  myself 
upon  my  ruse  in  getting  so  near  to  them,  this  being 
my  first  sight  of  these  noble  animals,  when  my 
horse,  suddenly  raising  his  head,  uttered  such  a 
sonorous  neigh  as  put  the  whole  troop  to  flight. 
Away  they  galloped,  one  band  after  another  taking 
the  alarm,  until  the  whole  herd,  numbering  several 
thousand,  was  in  motion,  and  finally  disappearing 
in  clouds  of  dust.  Despairing  of  getting  such 
another  opportunity  for  a  shot,  I  reluctantly 
turned  my  horse's  head  in  the  direction  where  I 
supposed  the  rest  of  the  party  to  be.  A  few  hours' 


72  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

ride  brought  me  back  to  them.  They  too  had 
fallen  in  with  buffaloes,  and,  in  their  eagerness  to 
secure  the  first  prize,  each  man  had  taken  two  or 
three  shots  at  a  straggling  old  bull,  an  exile  from 
the  herd;  he  fell,  pierced  with  twenty -three  balls. 
He  was,  however,  too  old  and  tough  to  be  eaten, 
and  was  left  for  his  friends,  the  coyotes. 

Buffaloes  now  became  such  an  ordinary  occur 
rence  that  the  novelty  soon  wore  off,  and  we  had 
more  humps,  tongues,  and  marrow-bones  than 
the  greatest  gourmand  could  have  desired. 

May  22.  We  had  already  overtaken  and  passed 
several  large  wagon  and  cattle  trains  from  Texas 
and  Arkansas,  mostly  bound  to  California.  With 
them  were  many  women  and  children;  and  it 
was  pleasant  to  stroll  into  their  camps  in  the 
evening  and  witness  the  perfect  air  of  comfort  and 
being-at-home  that  they  presented.  Their  wagons 
drawn  up  in  a  circle,  gave  them  at  least  an  appear 
ance  of  security;  and  within  the  inclosure  the  men 
either  reclined  around  the  campfires,  or  were  busy 
in  repairing  their  harness  or  cleaning  their  arms. 
The  females  milked  the  cows  and  prepared  the 
supper;  and  we  often  enjoyed  the  hot  cakes  and 
fresh  milk  of  which  they  invited  us  to  partake. 
Tender  infants  in  their  cradles  were  seen  under  the 
shelter  of  the  wagons,  thus  early  inured  to  hard 
travel.  Carpets  and  rocking  chairs  were  drawn 
out,  and  what  would  perhaps  shock  some  of  our 
fine  ladies,  fresh-looking  girls,  whose  rosy  lips  were 
certainly  never  intended  to  be  defiled  by  the 


Our  Indian  Policies  73 

vile  weed,  sat  around  the  fire,  smoking  the  old- 
fashioned  corn-cob  pipe. 

May  23.  We  were  again  on  the  road  at  sunrise, 
and  travelled  thirty-one  miles  to  the  Pawnee  Fork 
of  the  Arkansas.  The  sun  was  excessively  hot,  but 
towards  noon  its  heat  was  tempered  by  a  pleasant 
breeze  from  the  northwest;  crossed  many  gullies, 
which  carry  water  only  after  heavy  rains.  We 
passed,  on  the  right  of  the  road,  a  remarkable  butte, 
or  spur  of  the  hills,  projecting  into  the  plain,  and 
presenting  a  broad  surface  of  smooth  rock,  thickly 
inscribed  with  names.  This  landmark  is  known 
as  "The  Pawnee  Rock. " 

May  25.  We  were  glad  to  saddle  up  at  sunrise, 
and  in  five  miles  reached  Fort  Atkinson,  where 
Major  Johnson,  the  officer  in  command,  gave  us  a 
cordial  reception.  Several  large  bands  of  Indians, 
of  the  Cheyenne  and  Arapahoe  tribes,  were  con 
gregated  around  the  fort,  awaiting  the  arrival  of 
Major  Fitzpatrick,  Indian  Agent,  whom  they  daily 
expected.  As  it  continued  to  rain  without  inter 
mission  all  day,  we  concluded  to  pass  the  night  in 
the  fort,  where  Major  Johnson  had  provided  com 
fortable  accommodations  for  us.  Orders  had  just 
been  received  to  remove  this  post  to  Pawnee  Fork 
of  the  Arkansas,  one  hundred  miles  nearer  the 
settlements.  It  will  there  be  of  very  little  service, 
for  it  is  already  too  near  to  the  frontiers. 

The  timber  at  Pawnee  Fork  being  mostly  cotton- 
woods,  it  is  not  suitable  for  building  purposes; 
though  at  Fort  Atkinson  there  is  none  whatever 


74  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

nearer  than  fifteen  miles;  and  it  was  with  some 
difficulty  that  we  obtained  a  few  small  logs  for  our 
men,  who  were  encamped  at  a  short  distance,  under 
tents  borrowed  from  the  fort.  All  the  houses  are 
in  a  dilapidated  condition ;  a  few  are  built  of  adobe 
(sun-dried  bricks)  but  the  greater  part  are  con 
structed  of  sods.  Emigrants  frequently  stop  here 
to  settle  their  difficulties  with  Indians,  and  with 
each  other,  Major  Johnson  administering  justice 
in  a  prompt  and  impartial  manner.  A  few  days 
before  our  arrival,  a  quarrel  having  occurred  be 
tween  a  party  of  emigrants  and  some  Cheyenne 
Indians,  which  ended  in  blows,  Major  Johnson, 
upon  investigation,  finding  that  an  American  was 
the  aggressor,  immediately  ordered  him  back  to  the 
States.  Mr.  Leroux  being  still  too  ill  to  continue 
the  journey,  remained  here  under  the  care  of  the 
surgeon  of  the  post;  and  Mr.  W.  Riggs,  desiring 
to  return  to  the  States,  took  leave  of  us  at  this 
point.  Day's  travel,  5  miles;  whole  distance,  361 
miles. 

May  26.  Although  it  still  continued  to  rain,  we 
left  Fort  Atkinson  at  noon,  and  travelled  up  the 
left  bank  of  the  Arkansas.  The  trail  from  Inde 
pendence  to  Santa  Fe  crosses  the  Arkansas  ten 
miles  above  Fort  Atkinson;  and  there  is  another 
crossing  five  miles  higher  up. 

May  29.  At  sunrise,  recrossed  the  river  to  its 
left  bank,  grass  still  coarse  and  rank.  The  water 
of  the  Arkansas  is  very  similar  in  color  and  taste  to 
that  of  the  Missouri.  As  we  coasted  up  the  left 


Our  Indian  Policies  75 

bank  the  grass  became  coarser  and  scantier. 
Passed  a  singular  slaty  mound  on  the  right  of  the 
road,  resembling  a  pyramid  in  ruins.  Encamped 
at  noon  near  a  slough  of  the  river.  There  was  no 
wood  near  enough  for  use;  but  the  general  resource 
in  such  cases  on  the  plains  was  scattered  in  abun 
dance  around  us.  The  sun  was  very  hot,  but  at 
times  tempered  by  a  light  breeze  from  the  north 
westward.  A  wagon  and  cattle  train  of  emigrants 
encamped  near  us.  In  the  afternoon,  we  ascended 
the  river  eight  miles,  and  encamped  near  the  stream 
in  coarse,  wiry  grass,  as  in  fact  it  has  been  for 
several  days  past.  The  country  a  few  miles  from 
the  river  has  scanty  grass  and  dry  arid  soil.  In 
the  evening,  we  had  a  large  company  of  emigrants 
on  each  side  of  us.  Day's  travel,  36  miles;  whole 
distance,  483  miles. 

June  2.  Left  the  Timpas  at  early  dawn,  and 
discerned  at  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  several 
high  buttes,  bearing  due  west,  in  a  line  with  the 
southern  end  of  the  Sierra  Mojada;  towards  these 
we  now  directed  our  course.  The  country  was 
gradually  rolling  towards  the  buttes,  and  covered 
with  abundant  bunch  grass;  the  prickly  pear,  or 
cactus,  which  grows  in  clusters  close  to  the  ground, 
was  at  times  very  distressing  to  our  mules;  their 
constant  efforts  to  avoid  treading  on  this  annoying 
plant  gave  them  an  uneasy,  jerking  gait,  very  har 
assing  to  their  riders  during  a  long  day's  march. : 

Upon  reaching  the  summit  of  the  buttes,  a  mag 
nificent  and  extensive  panorama  was  opened  to 


76  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

our  view.  The  horizon  was  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Pike's  Peak,  northwest  and  west  by  the  Sierra 
Mojada,  Sangre  de  Cristo  Mountains,  and  Spanish 
Peaks;  to  the  south  and  east  extended  the  prairie, 
lost  in  the  hazy  distance.  On  the  gently  undulat 
ing  plains,  reaching  to  the  foot  of  the  mountains, 
could  be  traced  the  courses  of  the  Arkansas  and 
Sage  Creek  by  their  lines  of  timber.  The  Apispah, 
an  affluent  of  the  Arkansas,  issuing  from  the  Sierra 
Mojada,  was  concealed  from  sight  by  a  range  of 
intervening  buttes,  while  the  object  of  our  search, 
the  Huerfano,  flowed  at  our  feet,  distant  about 
three  miles,  its  course  easy  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  point  where  it  issued  from  the  mountains 
to  its  junction  with  the  Arkansas,  except  at  short 
intervals,  where  it  passed  through  canyons  in  the 
plain.  Pike's  Peak,  whose  head  was  capped  with 
eternal  snows,  was  a  prominent  object  in  the  land 
scape,  soaring  high  above  all  neighboring  summits. 
Descending  the  buttes  to  the  Huerfano,  we 
encamped  on  it  about  five  miles  above  its  mouth. 
A  bold  and  rapid  stream,  its  waters  were  turbid, 
but  sweet  and  cool;  the  river-bottom  was  broad, 
and  thickly  wooded  with  willows  and  cottonwoods 
interlaced  with  the  wild  rose  and  grape-vine,  and 
carpeted  with  soft  grass — a  sylvan  paradise.  This 
stream  was  about  twenty-five  yards  in  breadth, 
and  five  feet  deep  close  to  the  bank.  Bands  of 
antelope  and  deer  dotted  the  plain,  one  of  which 
served  us  for  supper,  brought  down  by  the  unerring 
rifle  of  Dick,  the  Delaware. 


•Ml 


Our  Indian  Policies  77 

June  4.  I  rode  ahead  of  camp,  to  Huerfano 
Butte,  a  remarkable  mound,  bearing  north  from 
the  southernmost  Spanish  Peak,  and  about  fifty 
yards  from  the  right  bank  of  the  river;  its  appear 
ance  was  that  of  a  huge  artificial  mound  of  stones, 
covered  half-way  up  from  its  base  with  a  dense 
growth  of  bushes.  It  is  probably  of  volcanic  origin 
and  there  are  many  indications  in  this  region  of  the 
action  of  internal  fires. 

Our  ride  to-day  was  full  of  interest,  for  we  weie 
now  approaching  the  Sangre  de  Cristo  Pass,  in  the 
Sangre  de  Cristo  Mountains.  We  had  been  travel 
ling  for  eighteen  days,  over  an  uninterrupted  plain, 
until  its  monotony  had  become  extremely  weari 
some.  The  mountain  scenery,  which  we  entered 
soon  after  raising  camp  this  morning,  was  of  the 
most  picturesque  description.  We  crossed  the 
Huerfano  seven  miles  above  the  butte;  at  this 
point  it  issues  from  a  canyon  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  in  length;  above  it  the  valley,  watered  by 
the  Huerfano,  forms  a  beautiful  plain  of  small 
extent,  surrounded  by  lofty  and  well-wooded 
mountains;  numerous  rills  trickle  down  their  sides, 
irrigate  the  plain,  and  join  their  waters  to  those 
of  the  Huerfano,  which  are  here  clear  and  cold.  We 
did  not  enter  this  valley,  but  left  the  Huerfano  after 
crossing  it,  and  followed  up  the  bed  of  one  of  its 
tributaries,  the  Cuchada,  a  small  brook  rising  near 
the  summit  of  the  Sangre  de  Cristo  Pass. 

This  small  valley  of  the  Huerfano  contains  about 
six  hundred  acres,  and  forms  a  most  ravishing  pic- 


78  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

ture;  it  would  be  a  good  place  for  recruiting  cattle 
after  their  weary  march  across  the  plains,  as  they 
would  be  perfectly  secure  and  sheltered,  and  the 
pasturage  is  excellent.  This,  however,  is  the  case 
all  through  these  mountains,  for  waving  grass, 
gemmed  with  flowers  of  every  hue,  covers  them 
to  their  summits,  except  in  the  region  of  snow. 
The  Cuchada  led  us  up  a  succession  of  valleys  of 
an  easy  grade.  We  were  now  travelling  on  an 
Indian  trail;  for  the  wagon  trail,  which  I  believe 
was  made  by  Roubindeau's  wagons,  deviated  to 
the  right,  and  went  through  the  pass  named  after 
him.  This  pass  is  so  low  that  we  perceived  through 
it  a  range  of  sand  hills  of  moderate  height,  in  San 
Luis  Valley;  to  have  gone  through  it,  however, 
would  have  occasioned  us  the  loss  of  a  day  in 
reaching  Fort  Massachusetts,  though  it  is  the 
shortest  and  most  direct  route  to  the  Coochatope; 
and  Mr.  Beale's  views  constrained  him  to  take  the 
most  direct  route  to  Fort  Massachusetts,  where 
he  expected  to  obtain  a  guide  through  the  unex 
plored  country  between  New  Mexico  and  Utah, 
and  also  to  procure  some  mules.  We  were  there 
fore  very  reluctantly  compelled  to  forego  the 
examination  of  Roubindeau's  Pass. 

Encamped  at  noon  at  the  foot  of  a  remarkable 
rock,  watered  at  its  base  by  the  Cuchada ;  it  resem 
bled  the  ruined  front  of  a  Gothic  church.  En 
camped  for  the  night  six  miles  farther  up  the  valley, 
and  near  the  summit  of  the  Sangre  de  Cristo  Pass. 
An  excellent  wagon  road  might  be  made  over  these 


Our  Indian  Policies  79 

mountains,  by  the  Sangre  de  Cristo  Pass,  and  a 
still  better  one  through  Roubindeau's. 

The  grass  around  our  encampment  was  really 
magnificent;  it  was  in  a  large  mountain  meadow, 
watered  by  numerous  springs  and  girt  in  by  dark 
pines.  Through  an  opening  in  the  mountains,  to 
the  eastward,  we  could  see  the  sunny  plains  of  the 
Arkansas  and  Huerfano,  with  its  remarkable  butte, 
whilst  around  us  heavy  clouds  were  collecting, 
giving  warning  of  a  storm  and  wet  night.  We 
made  ourselves  shelters  and  beds  of  pine  boughs. 
The  Delaware  had  killed  a  fat  antelope,  which 
furnished  us  a  hearty  supper;  and  we  sat  around 
our  fire  until  a  late  hour,  well  pleased  with  having 
accomplished  in  such  good  time  and  without  acci 
dent  the  first  stage  of  our  journey,  for  we  expected 
to  reach  Fort  Massachusetts  at  an  early  hour  next 
day.  Day's  march,  26  miles;  total  distance,  668 
miles. 

June  5.  After  crossing  Indian  Creek,  we  halted 
a  few  minutes  to  make  our  toilets  previous  to  our 
arrival  at  Fort  Massachusetts,  and,  although  our 
hunter  had  just  ridden  into  camp  with  a  haunch 
of  fat  venison  behind  his  saddle,  and  our  appetites, 
which  were  at  all  times  excellent,  had  been  sharp 
ened  by  a  long  mountain  ride  without  breakfast, 
we  were  too  impatient  to  reach  the  fort  to  lose 
time  in  camping.  We  arrived  there  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  received  a  warm  and  hospitable 
welcome  from  Major  Blake,  the  officer  in  command, 
and  from  Lieutenants  Jackson  and  Johnson,  and 


8o  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Dr.  Magruder.  An  incipient  rainstorm  made  us  feel 
sensible  that  we  were  still  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Sierra  Mojada  (or  Wet  Mountains),  which  well 
merit  the  name,  for  rain  fell  every  day  that  we 
were  in  or  near  them;  on  the  highest  peaks  in  the 
form  of  snow,  and  lower  down  in  hazy  moisture, 
alternating  with  drenching  showers. 

This  humidity  gives  great  fertility  to  this  region, 
and  the  country  bordering  on  the  sides  of  these 
mountains,  as  well  as  the  valleys  within  their 
recesses,  are  unequalled  in  loveliness  and  richness 
of  vegetation.  To  the  settler,  they  offer  every 
inducement;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  in  a  few 
years  this  tract  of  country  will  vie  with  California 
or  Australia  in  the  number  of  immigrants  it  will 
invite  to  it.  It  is  by  far  the  most  beautiful  as  well 
as  the  most  fertile  portion  of  New  Mexico,  and  a 
remarkably  level  country  unites  it  with  the  western 
frontier  of  the  Atlantic  States.  As  soon  as  this  is 
thrown  open  to  settlement,  a  continuous  line  of 
farms  will  be  established,  by  which  the  agricultural 
and  mineral  wealth  of  this  region  will  be  developed. 
Communication  will  then  be  more  rapid,  and 
instead  of  the  mail  being,  as  it  is  now,  thirty  days 
in  reaching  Fort  Massachusetts,  it  will  be  carried 
through  in  eight  or  ten. 

Messrs.  Beale,  Riggs,  Rogers,  and  myself  quar 
tered  at  the  fort ;  the  men  encamped  two  miles  below 
on  Utah  Creek,  in  a  beautiful  grove  of  cottonwoods. 
A  tent  was  sent  to  them,  and  with  fresh  bread  and 
meat  they  were  soon  -rendered  perfectly  comfort- 


hfi 

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Our  Indian  Policies  81 

able.  There  was  excellent  pasturage  around  their 
encampment,  on  which  the  mules  soon  forgot  the 
hard  marches  they  had  made  since  leaving  West- 
port.  Day's  travel,  25  miles;  total  distance  from 
Westport  to  Fort  Massachusetts,  693  miles. 

June  14.  As  it  was  found  impossible  to  obtain 
here  the  men  and  animals  that  we  required,  and 
that  it  would  be  necessary  to  go  to  Taos,  and  per 
haps  to  Santa  Fe,  for  this  purpose,  Mr.  Beale  and 
Major  Blake  left  for  the  former  place  on  the  morn 
ing  after  our  arrival  at  the  fort.  Taos  is  about 
eighty,  and  Santa  Fe  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  to  the  southward. 

The  cavalry  at  Fort  Massachusetts  numbered 
seventy-five  men,  of  whom  forty -five  were  mounted. 
Though  their  horses  were  excellently  groomed, 
and  stabled,  and  kept  in  high  condition  on  corn,  at 
six  dollars  a  bushel,  they  would  break  down  on  a 
march  in  pursuit  of  Indians  mounted  on  horses 
fed  on  grass,  and  accustomed  to  gallop  at  half 
speed  up  or  down  the  steepest  hills.  Corn-fed 
animals  lose  their  strength  when  they  are  put  on 
grass,  and  do  not  soon  get  accustomed  to  the 
change  of  diet.  Of  this  fact  the  officers  at  the 
fort  were  perfectly  sensible,  and  regretted  that 
they  were  not  better  prepared  for  any  sudden 
emergency. 

Lieutenant  Beale  returned  from  the  southern 
country  late  in  the  afternoon  of  this  day,  and 
brought  with  him  a  guide,  and  a  Mexican  arriero 
(muleteer) ;  they  were  cousins,  and  both  named 


82  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Felipe  Archilete.  Jesus  Garcia  was  discharged 
here,  and  Patrick  Dolan,  a  soldier  who  had  served 
out  his  time,  hired  in  his  place.  Our  party  now 
numbered  fourteen. 

The  guide,  Felipe  Archilete,  or  "  Peg-leg,"  for 
it  was  by  this  sobriquet  that  he  was  commonly 
known  to  Americans,  deserves  particular  mention. 
He  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  trading 
and  trapping  in  the  Indian  country,  and  his  accu 
rate  knowledge  of  the  region  between  the  Arkansas 
and  Sevier  River  in  Utah  Territory,  as  well  as  his 
acquaintance  with  the  Utah  tongue,  promised  to 
render  him  of  great  service  to  us  in  the  absence  of 
Mr.  Leroux.  A  few  years  ago,  in  a  skirmish  with 
the  Utahs,  he  was  wounded  in  the  left  ankle  with 
a  rifle  ball,  which  completely  crippled  his  foot,  and 
compelled  him  to  use  at  times  a  wooden  leg,  which 
he  carried  suspended  to  his  waist.  Notwithstand 
ing  his  lameness,  he  was  one  of  the  most  active 
men  of  the  party,  and  was  always  the  foremost  in 
times  of  difficulty  and  danger. 

During  Lieutenant  Beale 's  absence,  I  replen 
ished  our  provisions  from  the  sutler's  store,  and 
had  a  small  supply  of  biscuit  baked;  a  bullock, 
which  I  had  purchased  from  the  quartermaster, 
was  cut  up  and  jerked  by  the  Delaware,  and  the 
mules  were  reshod,  and  a  supply  of  spare  shoes 
and  nails  obtained.  They  were  completely  rested, 
and  in  even  better  condition  than  when  we  started 
from  Westport;  after  a  general  overhauling  of  the 
camp  equipage  by  the  men,  everything  was  put  in 


Our  Indian  Policies  83 

order  for  resuming  our  journey,  as  soon  as  Lieu 
tenant  Beale  should  return. 

June  15.  Bidding  adieu  to  our  kind  friends  at 
the  fort,  we  resumed  our  journey  at  noon,  and 
travelled  down  Utah  Creek  south-southwest,  until  it 
debouched  in  the  valley  of  San  Luis,  when  we 
altered  our  course  to  west  by  north.  In  six  miles 
from  Fort  Massachusetts,  we  crossed  the  trail  of 
Roubindeau's  wagons  from  the  upper  Arkansas 
settlements;  they  entered  through  Roubindeau's 
Pass  in  the  Sierra  Mojada.  After  crossing  it,  our 
route  led  us  over  a  level  plain  covered  with  arte- 
misia,  cacti,  and  patches  of  the  nutritious  grama. 
A  ride  of  twenty-five  miles  brought  us  at  dark  to  a 
slough  of  the  Rio  del  Norte,  where  we  encamped. 
Day's  march,  25  miles;  total  distance  from  West- 
port,  718  miles. 

June  1 8.  On  resuming  our  march  in  the 
afternoon,  we  ascended  the  small  valley,  as  it 
shortened  the  distance  a  couple  of  miles,  and 
re-entered  that  of  the  Sahwatch.  After  a  ride  of 
eight  miles  we  crossed  Sahwatch  Creek,  its  waters 
reaching  to  our  saddles,  and  encamped  as  the  sun 
was  setting,  at  the  entrance  ot  the  celebrated 
Coochatope  Pass. 


CHAPTER  VI 
ACROSS  THE  PLAINS  IN  '53 

From  Coochatope  Pass  to  Grand  River — A  Taste  of  Moun 
tain  Sheep — The  Great  Divide — Murderous  Work  of 
Utah  Indians — Arrival  at  the  Uncompagre  River — 
The  Swollen  Fork  of  the  Colorado — Raft  Built  and 
Abandoned — The  Slough  of  Despond — Building  a 
Canoe — Forlorn  Plight  of  Pack  Mules — Shipwreck  and 
Inventory  of  Losses — Expedition  Separated  by  River 
but  United  by  Common  Misfortunes — Gallant  Swim 
mers — Beale  Decides  to  Send  to  Taos  in  New  Mexico 
to  Replenish  his  Supplies — Mr.  Heap's  Journey  to  the 
Settlements — A  Miserable  Night — "Peg-leg"  and  the 
Venerable  Utah — The  Lonely  Squaw — Arrival  at  Taos 
— Mr.  Leroux  and  Supplies. 

COOCHATOPE  PASS  is  a  wonderful  gap,  or, 
more  properly   speaking,  a  natural  gate, 
as  its  name  denotes,  in  the  Utah  language. 
On  each  side,  mountains  rise  in  abrupt  and  rocky 
precipices,  the  one  on  the  eastern  side  being  the 
highest.     We  climbed  up  the  one  on  the  left,  which 
is  but  a  confused  mass  of  rocks,  but  in  their  crevi 
ces  were  many  beautiful  and  sweet-scented  flow 
ers.     The  bottom  of  the  pass  was  level  and  at  right 
angles  with  Sah watch  Valley;  and  we  had  thus  far 

84 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  85 

reached  twenty-five  miles  into  the  mountains, 
from  San  Luis  Valley,  without  any  apparent  change 
of  level.  Singular  as  it  may  appear,  it  is  neverthe 
less  a  fact  that,  notwithstanding  the  distance  that 
we  had  penetrated  into  these  mountains,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  course  of  the  waters  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  have  determined  whether  we  were 
ascending  or  descending. 

A  stream  issues  from  Coochatope  Pass  and  joins 
the  Sah watch;  it  is  called  Coochumpah  by  the 
Utahs,  and  Rio  de  los  Cibolos  by  the  Mexicans; 
both  names  have  the  same  signification — River  of 
Buffaloes.  Coochatope  signifies,  in  the  Utah  lan 
guage,  Buffalo  Gate,  and  the  Mexicans  have  the 
same  name  for  it,  El  Puerto  de  los  Cibolos.  The 
pass  and  creek  are  so  called  from  the  large  herds  of 
these  animals  which  entered  Sahwatch  and  San 
Luis  Valleys  through  this  pass,  from  the  Three 
Parks  and  Upper  Arkansas,  before  they  were  des 
troyed,  or  the  direction  of  their  migration  changed, 
by  the  constant  warfare  carried  on  against  them  by 
Indians  and  New  Mexicans.  A  few  still  remain  in 
the  mountains  and  are  described  as  very  wild  and 
savage.  We  saw  a  great  number  of  elk-horns 
scattered  through  these  valleys;  and,  from  the 
comparatively  fresh  traces  of  buffaloes,  it  was 
evident  that  many  had  visited  the  pass  quite 
recently. 

Our  Delaware,  in  commemoration  of  our  arrival 
at  this  point,  killed  a  mountain  sheep,  and  soon  a 
dozen  sticks  were  around  the  fire,  on  which  were 


86  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

roasting  pieces  of  this  far-famed  meat;  but  this  was 
a  bad  specimen,  being  both  old  and  tough.  Day's 
travel,  22  miles ;  total  distance,  808  miles. 

We  resumed  our  journey  at  5:30  A.M.  and, 
having  travelled  two  miles,  reached  the  forks  of  the 
Coochumpah,  taking  the  west  fork  up  the  valley, 
which  here  commenced  to  ascend  at  an  easy  grade. 
The  mountainsides  were  clothed  with  fine  timber, 
among  which  were  pines,  firs,  and  aspens,  and  the 
valley  with  the  most  luxuriant  grass  and  clover, 
this  being  the  first  clover  we  had  seen.  Around 
us  were  scattered  numerous  elk-horns  and  buffalo 
skulls.  Eight  miles  brought  us  to  a  remarkable 
cliff,  about  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  which 
beetled  over  the  trail  on  our  left ;  nine  miles  from 
the  "Gate,"  we  saw  the  last  water  flowing  east  to 
the  Atlantic;  in  five  minutes  we  were  on  the  cul 
minating  point  of  the  pass,  and  in  ten  more  crossed 
the  first  stream  flowing  west  to  the  Pacific.  It 
was  almost  as  if  we  were  standing  with  one  foot  in 
waters  which  found  their  way  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  and  the  other  in  those  losing  themselves  in 
the  Gulf  of  California. 

In  our  eagerness  to  explore  this  pass  to  its 
western  outlet,  Lieutenant  Beale  and  I  rode  far 
ahead  of  the  remainder  of  the  party.  The  scenery 
was  grand  and  beautiful  beyond  description. 
Lofty  mountains,  their  summits  covered  with 
eternal  snows,  lifted  their  heads  to  the  clouds, 
whilst  in  our  immediate  vicinity  were  softly 
rounded  hills  clothed  with  grass,  flowers,  and  rich 


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Across  the  Plains  in  '53  87 

meadows,  through  which  numerous  rills  trickled 
to  join  their  waters  to  Coochatope  Creek. 

At  noon  we  encamped  on  this  stream,  where  it 
had  already  swollen  to  a  considerable  size.  It  is 
a  tributary  of  Grand  River,  east  fork  of  the  Great 
Colorado.  Near  camp  was  a  lofty  and  steep  hill, 
which  I  ascended  to  obtain  a  better  view  of  the 
country;  one  of  its  principal  features  was  the 
Coochatope  Mountain  to  the  southeast,  high, 
round,  and  dark  with  pines. 

June  20.  The  usual  cry  of  "catch  up"  set  the 
camp  in  motion  at  5:45  A.M.  We  travelled 
twenty-two  miles  over  a  rolling  country,  more 
hilly  than  our  route  of  the  previous  day,  and 
encamped  on  a  rivulet  at  noon.  Our  course  was 
south  by  west.  The  hillsides  and  mountains  were 
still  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  pines  and 
aspens;  wild  flowers  adorned  the  murmuring 
streams,  and  beautified  the  waving  grass.  Every 
few  hundred  yards  we  came  to  one  of  these  purling 
brooks,  the  haunt  of  the  timid  deer,  who  bounded 
away  at  our  approach.  To  the  westward,  the 
Eagle  Range  (La  Sierra  del  Aguila)  towered  high 
above  the  surrounding  mountains,  its  summits 
capped  with  snow,  some  patches  of  which  we 
passed  near  our  trail.  Lieutenant  Beale  shot  a  spe 
cies  of  grouse,  larger  than  a  prairie  hen,  and  caught 
one  of  her  young.  At  5:30  P.M.,  five  miles  from 
our  noon  camp,  we  crossed  the  two  forks  of  the 
Jaroso  (Willow)  Creek,  a  strong  stream  running 
into  Grand  River,  not  laid  down  on  any  map.  At 


88  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

7  P.M.  we  rested  for  the  night  in  a  valley  watered 
by  a  small  shallow  brook,  very  marshy,  and 
swarming  with  mosquitoes.  Our  general  course 
this  day  was  southwest.  Numbers  of  deer  and 
antelopes  were  seen ;  indeed,  these  sheltered  valleys 
seem  expressly  intended  as  coverts  for  these  gentle 
animals. 

About  a  mile  before  reaching  the  Jaroso,  we 
crossed  a  valley  where  a  party  of  Americans  were 
cruelly  murdered  by  the  Utahs,  in  the  spring  of 
this  year.  Five  Americans  and  a  few  Mexicans 
were  driving  sheep  to  California  by  this  route,  and, 
from  some  cause  which  I  did  not  ascertain,  a  dis 
agreement  arose  between  them  and  a  band  of 
Utahs,  who  were  still  here  in  their  winter-quarters. 
The  latter  forbade  their  passing  through  their 
country,  and  placing  a  row  of  elk-horns  across  the 
valley,  threatened  them  with  instant  death  if  they 
crossed  that  line.  The  whites,  deeming  this  a  vain 
threat,  attempted  to  force  their  way  through,  were 
attacked,  and  all  killed.  The  elk-horns  were  still 
in  the  position  in  which  the  Indians  had  placed 
them.  Our  guide,  Felipe,  had  an  account  of  this 
affair  from  Utahs  who  had  been  actors  in  the  affray. 
At  this  point  the  trail  from  the  Del  Norte  through 
the  Carnero  Pass  joins  that  through  the  Coocha- 
tope.  Traders  from  Abiquiu  come  by  it  into  these 
mountains  to  barter  for  peltries  with  the  Utahs. 
Day's  travel,  34  miles;  total,  876  miles. 

June  21.  Raised  camp  at  4:45  A.M.  and  trav 
elled  five  miles  west  by  south,  crossing  a  steep 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  89 

and  rocky  hill  covered  with  pines,  and  in  five  miles 
entered  a  small  valley  watered  by  the  Rio  de  la 
Laguna  (Lake  Creek). 

It  became  a  question  with  us,  how  our  packs  were 
to  be  transported  over  the  Laguna  without  getting 
them  wet  or  lost,  and  we  at  first  attempted  to  make 
a  bridge  by  felling  a  tall  pine  across  the  stream, 
but  it  fell  partly  into  the  water,  and  the  current 
carried  it  away,  tearing  it  into  pieces.  This  plan 
having  failed  another  was  adopted,  suggested  by 
what  Mr.  Beale  had  seen  in  his  travels  in  Panama, 
and  the  mode  of  crossing  the  plunging  torrents 
of  the  Andes,  which  was  entirely  successful. 

Mr.  Rogers  selected  a  point  where  the  stream 
was  for  some  distance  free  from  rocks,  and  suc 
ceeded,  after  a  severe  struggle,  in  swimming  across; 
and  one  of  the  men  mounting  a  stray  Indian  pony, 
which  we  found  quietly  grazing  in  the  valley, 
dashed  in  after  him,  and  also  effected  a  landing  on 
the  opposite  side.  To  them  a  light  line  was  thrown, 
and  having  thus  established  a  communication  with 
the  other  side,  a  larger  rope  was  drawn  over  by 
them,  and  tied  firmly  to  a  rock  near  the  water's 
edge.  The  end  of  the  rope  on  our  side  was  made 
fast  to  the  top  of  a  pine  tree,  a  backstay  preventing 
it  from  bending  to  the  weight  of  the  loads  sent 
over.  An  iron  hook  was  now  passed  over  the  rope, 
and  by  means  of  a  sling  our  packs  were  suspended 
to  it.  The  hook  slid  freely  from  the  top  of  the 
tree  down  to  the  rock ;  and  when  the  load  was  taken 
off,  we  drew  the  hook  and  sling  back  to  our  side  by 


90  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

a  string  made  fast  to  it.  The  last  load  sent  over 
was  our  wearing  apparel,  and  just  after  parting 
with  it,  a  violent  hailstorm  broke  over  us,  making 
us  glad  to  seek  shelter  from  its  fury  under  rocks  and 
trees.  Most  of  the  day  was  thus  consumed  and 
it  was  not  until  5  P.M.  that  we  mounted  our  mules 
and  swam  them  across.  The  water  was  icy  cold, 
and  some  of  the  animals  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
drowning.  We,  however,  saddled  up  immediately, 
and  proceeding  four  miles  from  the  creek, 
encamped  for  the  night  in  a  small  hollow.  On 
leaving  the  Rio  de  la  Laguna,  the  road  ascended  a 
high  steep  hill.  The  country  travelled  over  this 
day  was  abundantly  grassed,  the  hills  timbered 
with  firs,  pines,  and  aspens,  and  the  streams  shaded 
with  willows.  Day's  travel,  9  miles;  total,  885 
miles. 

June  23.  At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning, 
Lieut.  Beale,  Felipe  Archilete,  the  Delaware,  and 
I,  taking  the  lead,  arrived  at  the  River  Uncom- 
pagre  at  11:10  A.M.  We  travelled  about  twelve 
miles  parallel  with  this  river,  and  found  it  every 
where  a  broad  rapid  stream,  entirely  too  rapid 
and  swift  to  ford  with  safety;  we  therefore  con 
tinued  down  its  right  bank  until  we  reached  Grand 
River. 

We  had  been  prepared  to  find  Grand  River 
swollen,  for  its  tributaries  which  we  had  crossed 
were  all  at  their  highest  stage  of  water;  but 
we  had  not  anticipated  so  mighty  a  stream.  It 
flowed  with  a  loud  and  angry  current,  its  amber- 


The  Method  of  Crossing  Laguna  Creek 

From  a  Lithograph 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  91 

colored  waters  roaring  sullenly  past,  laden  with 
the  wrecks  of  trees  uprooted  by  their  fury.  Sounds 
like  the  booming  of  distant  artillery,  occasioned  by 
the  caving  in  of  its  clay  and  sand  banks,  con 
stantly  smote  our  ears.  This  fork  of  the  Colorado 
rises  in  the  Middle  Park,  and  gathers  all  its  head 
waters  in  that  enclosure,  and  is  described  by  Fre 
mont,  who  crossed  it  there,  as  being  a  large  river, 
one  hundred  and  thirty  yards  wide  where  it  breaks 
through  its  mountain  rim  and  flows  southwest. 
Between  that  point  and  where  we  approached 
it  numerous  streams  contribute  their  waters  to 
increase  its  volume,  and  where  we  now  stood, 
anxiously  gazing  at  its  flood,  it  had  spread  to  a 
.breadth  of  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 

As  it  was  evident  that  this  river  was  nowhere  ford- 
able  it  was  determined  to  commence  at  once  the 
construction  of  a  raft.  A  place  where  dead  wood 
was  found  in  abundance  was  selected  for  encamp 
ment,  and  to  reach  it  it  was  necessary  to  cross  a 
broad  slough,  where  the  mules  sank  to  their  bellies 
in  the  mud;  the  packs  were  carried  over  on  our 
heads.  This  brought  us  to  an  island  of  loose, 
rotten  soil,  covered  with  greasewood  and  some 
coarse  grass.  We  had  no  shelter  from  the  sun, 
which  was  intensely  hot,  and  the  mosquitoes  and 
gadflies  were  perfectly  terrific. 

From  this  point,  the  Pareamoot  Mountains  were 
in  full  view;  they  ranged  from  the  north,  and 
terminated  in  an  abrupt  declivity  on  the  west 
ern  side  of  Grand  River,  opposite  the  mouth  of 


92  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  Uncompagre.  They  were  described  to  me  as 
abounding  in  game,  and  well  timbered;  on  their 
plateaus,  are  fine  lakes  filled  with  excellent  fish, 
rich  meadows,  abundant  streams,  every  natural 
attraction,  in  fact,  to  induce  settlement. 

Our  guide,  Felipe,  had  spent  three  years  in  them, 
trapping  and  hunting,  and  said  that  there  is  no 
richer  country  on  the  continent.  Those  moun 
tains  are  not  laid  down  on  any  map.  Day's  travel, 
28  miles;  total  distance,  951  miles. 

June  24.  Whilst  most  of  the  party  were  busily 
occupied  in  collecting  and  cutting  logs,  construct 
ing  the  raft,  and  transporting  the  packs,  saddles, 
etc.,  to  the  point  of  embarkation,  which  had  to  be 
done  in  deep  mud,  and  under  a  scorching  sun, 
others  explored  the  banks  of  the  river,  to  ascertain 
whether  a  place  could  be  found  where  the  caval 
cade  could  be  crossed  over.  The  river  was  exam 
ined  several  miles  above  our  encampment,  but  its 
banks  on  our  side  were  everywhere  so  marshy  as 
to  prevent  the  approach  of  the  mules  to  the  water's 
edge.  At  the  encampment  the  ground  was  firmer 
but  we  feared  to  drive  them  into  the  river  at  this 
point,  as  it  was  here  not  only  very  rapid  and  broad, 
but  its  opposite  banks,  as  far  down  as  we  could 
see,  were  marshy  and  covered  with  a  thick  jungle, 
from  which  our  mules,  after  the  exhaustion  of 
swimming  across  so  swift  a  current,  would  have 
been  unable  to  extricate  themselves. 

Towards  noon  the  raft  was  completed,  but  we 
were  far  from  feeling  confident  about  crossing  at 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  93 

this  point.  Archilete,  who  was  well  acquainted 
with  all  the  fords  and  crossing-places,  stated  that 
perhaps  a  better  point  might  be  found  a  few  miles 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Uncompagre,  which  flowed 
into  Grand  River  a  short  distance  below  us.  As  it 
was  evident  that  it  would  be  risking  the  entire 
loss  of  our  animals  and  packs  to  attempt  to  cross 
them  here,  it  was  determined  to  abandon  the  raft 
and  to  move  camp  farther  down  without  delay. 
Everything  was  again  transported  to  the  main 
shore  across  the  slough.  The  animals  had  much 
difficulty  in  crossing  this  place,  even  without  loads ; 
with  them,  they  sank  hopelessly  into  the  mud,  from 
which  it  was  very  difficult  to  drag  them  out. 
.  A  more  dirty,  begrimed,  and  forlorn-looking 
party  was  never  seen;  we  were  covered  with  mud 
to  our  waists;  wherever  the  mosquitoes  and  gad 
flies  could  reach  our  skin  they  improved  the  oppor 
tunity  most  industriously,  and  most  of  the  men 
were  covered  with  blisters  and  welts.  All  cheer 
fully  took  a  share  in  this  labor,  but  a  volley  of 
execrations  was  poured  on  this  quagmire,  which 
was  appropriately  christened  the  "Slough  of 
Despond." 

Having  transported  everything  to  dry  land  and 
got  the  animals  through  the  mud,  we  once  more 
packed  them  and  resumed  our  journey  down  the 
left  bank  of  Grand  River  until  we  came  to  the 
Uncompagre,  a  short  distance  above  its  mouth. 

The  largest  animals  were  here  selected  to  carry 
the  packs  across,  their  feet  barely  touching  the 


94  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

bottom,  whilst  the  strength  of  the  current  drove 
the  water  over  their  backs.  Some  of  the  men, 
mounted  on  horses,  led  the  pack  mules,  and  pre 
vented  their  being  carried  down  the  stream  where 
the  water  was  deeper.  One  mule,  with  a  valuable 
pack,  having  gone  in  of  her  own  accord,  was  carried 
away,  lost  her  foothold  and  sank,  the  weight  of  the 
pack  being  too  great  to  allow  her  to  swim;  she  was 
swept  down  the  stream  with  great  rapidity,  rolling 
over  helplessly  until  entirely  lost  to  our  sight  by 
a  bend  of  the  river.  Some  of  the  party  swam 
across,  and  one,  benumbed  by  the  coldness  of  the 
water,  and  exhausted  by  struggling  against  the 
stream,  would  have  been  drowned  had  he  not 
been  providentially  seized  just  as  his  strength  had 
entirely  failed  him. 

We  encamped  a  few  miles  below  the  Uncompagre 
on  the  left  bank  of  Grand  River,  upon  a  bluff  from 
which  we  had  a  fine  view  of  its  course,  and  of  the 
Pareamoot  Mountains  opposite.  Our  tormentors, 
the  mosquitoes,  did  not  fail  to  welcome  us  with 
a  loud  buzz,  whilst  the  drone  of  the  gadfly,  which 
might  with  truth  be  termed  the  jurla-mj emails  of 
the  plains,  gave  notice  that  he  was  about,  thirsting 
for  our  blood.  Wherever  he  inserted  his  proboscis, 
the  sensation  was  like  that  of  a  redhot  darning 
needle  thrust  into  the  flesh,  and  was  followed  by  a 
stream  of  blood.  The  mules  and  horses  suffered 
terribly  by  these  flies. 

Our  provisions,  by  losses  in  the  river  and  damage 
by  water,  were  fast  diminishing,  and  it  was  deemed 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  95 

prudent  at  this  time  to  put  ourselves  on  a  limited 
allowance,  for  it  was  uncertain  how  long  we  might 
be  detained  in  crossing  this  river,  the  Avonkaria, 
and  Upper  Colorado. 

The  pack  lost  with  the  mule  drowned  in  the 
Uncompagre  contained  many  articles  of  importance 
to  us,  besides  all  our  pinole  (parched  cornmeal), 
and  some  of  the  men  lost  all  their  clothing. 

It  was  late  when  we  got  to  camp,  and  after  a 
day  of  toil,  exposure,  and  annoyance,  nothing  more 
could  be  done  than  to  select  a  tree  out  of  which 
to  make  a  canoe,  and  the  place  to  launch  it,  for  all 
idea  of  crossing  on  a  raft  was  abandoned.  A  few 
miles  below  the  encampment  the  river  was  shut  in 
by  a  canyon,  towards  which  it  drove  with  great 
swiftness;  a  raft  carried  into  it  would  have  been 
torn  to  pieces  in  a  moment,  without  a  chance  for 
the  men  on  it  to  save  their  lives.  Day's  travel, 
5  miles;  total,  956  miles. 

June  25.  At  early  dawn  most  of  the  party  com 
menced  working  on  the  canoe ;  their  only  tools  were 
two  dull  axes  and  two  hatchets.  A  large  cotton- 
wood  tree  was  felled  for  this  purpose,  and  it  was 
hoped  to  have  the  canoe  finished  the  next  day. 
The  wood,  being  green  and  full  of  sap,  was  hard  to 
cut,  and  so  heavy  that  chips  of  it  sank  when 
thrown  into  the  water. 

The  river  still  maintained  the  same  level,  and  the 
bottom  land  was  overflowed  and  marshy.  The 
high  lands  on  which  we  were  encamped  were 
composed  of  a  loose,  rotten  soil,  producing  no 


96  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

vegetation  except  stunted  sage-bushes.  The  only 
game  we  had  seen  for  two  days  was  an  occasional 
sage-rabbit,  so  called  from  its  flesh  having  a  strong 
flavor  of  the  wild  sage  (artemisia),  on  which  it 
feeds.  The  sun  was  very  hot  and  mosquitoes 
tormenting;  we  removed  our  camp  to  the  bluffs 
in  the  hope  of  avoiding  them,  but  with  little  success. 

At  this  point,  the  general  course  of  the  river 
was  parallel  with  the  Pareamoot  Mountains,  from 
northeast  to  southwest.  The  latter  appeared  to 
rise  in  terraces,  upon  which  much  timber  could 
be  seen. 

The  work  on  the  canoe  was  continued  steadily 
all  day,  though  some  of  the  party  entertained 
grave  doubts  about  crossing  in  it;  besides,  the  two 
rivers  beyond  Grand  River  were  said  to  be  larger 
and  their  current  swifter  than  this.  Archilete 
stated  that  he  had  never  seen  the  river  so  high, 
and  that  it  was  owing  to  the  unusual  quantity 
of  snow  which  had  fallen  in  the  mountains  during 
last  winter.  The  wind  rose  at  ten  o'clock  and 
blew  with  violence  until  sunset,  which  relieved  us 
in  a  measure  from  the  torment  of  mosquitoes,  but 
they  returned  in  fresh  swarms  as  soon  as  it  lulled. 

June  26.  The  canoe  was  completed  at  noon, 
and  a  fire  was  kindled  in  and  around  to  dry  it. 
At  4  P.M.  the  first  load  went  over  with  the  Dela 
ware  and  Archilete.  Everything  had  to  be  carried 
to  the  water's  edge  through  a  thick  jungle,  knee- 
deep  in  mud,  and  under  a  broiling  sun. 

They  reached  the  opposite  side  safely,  although 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  97 

the  current  carried  them  some  distance  down  the 
stream.  The  canoe  was  found  to  be  very  heavy 
and  easy  to  upset.  Archilete,  Juan  Lente,  and 
myself  went  with  the  second  load,  reached  the  other 
side,  and,  after  unloading,  dragged  the  canoe  some 
distance  up  stream  to  enable  Archilete,  who  was 
to  take  it  back,  to  make  a  landing  at  the  point 
where  the  packs  were  deposited.  Two  more  of  the 
men  crossed  with  the  next  load,  and  Archilete 
returned  in  the  canoe  to  the  left  bank  for  the  night. 

We  were  now  four  persons  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  stream  with  the  prospect  of  getting  the  rest  of 
the  party  and  packs  across  at  an  early  hour  the 
next  day.  We  retired  to  some  dry  land  about  half 
a  mile  from  the  river,  and  carried  to  it  the  few 
things  that  had  been  brought  over.  Just  before 
dark,  Dick,  the  Delaware,  made  his  appearance 
in  camp,  dripping  wet,  and  reported  that  he  had 
just  swam  across  with  some  of  the  mules;  that 
after  getting  all  into  the  water  most  of  them  had 
turned  back,  while  three  mules  and  one  horse, 
having  reached  the  right  bank,  had  sunk  into  the 
mud,  from  which  he  had  been  unable  to  relieve 
them.  We  immediately  went  down  to  the  water's 
edge  with  ropes,  and  with  great  difficulty  got  the 
horse  out  of  his  bed  of  mud,  but  found  it  impossible 
to  extricate  the  mules.  We  were  compelled  to 
leave  the  poor  animals  in  their  forlorn  situation 
until  the  morning,  when  we  hoped  to  get  them  on 
dry  land. 

June  27.     Rose  at  dawn,  and  our  first  business 


98  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

was  to  get  the  mules  out  of  their  dangerous  pre 
dicament,  by  cutting  bushes  and  spreading  them 
around  the  mired  animals,  thus  rendering  the 
ground  sufficiently  firm  to  support  their  weight. 

At  an  early  hour,  a  signal  was  made  to  us  from 
the  other  side  that  the  canoe  was  about  starting 
to  cross.  We  therefore  went  down  to  the  river 
side  to  receive  its  load.  In  a  few  minutes  she  made 
her  appearance,  driving  rapidly  down  the  stream. 
She  was  heavily  loaded,  barely  four  inches  of  her 
gunwale  being  above  the  water's  edge.  Felipe 
Archilete,  a  strong  and  active  fellow,  was  paddling, 
whilst  George  Simms  was  crouched  in  the  bow  of 
the  boat.  They  were  unable  to  reach  the  point 
where  previous  landings  had  been  effected,  and 
were  soon  shut  from  our  sight  by  trees  and  tangled 
bushes,  growing  close  to  the  water.  In  a  few 
seconds  we  heard  the  most  alarming  cries  for  help, 
and  upon  rushing  to  the  spot  from  which  these 
cries  proceeded,  found  Archilete  and  George  just 
emerging  from  the  water,  nearly  exhausted  with 
their  struggles. 

It  appears  that  upon  approaching  the  bank  and 
grasping  some  small  limbs  of  trees  overhanging 
the  water,  the  latter  broke,  whereupon  one  of  the 
men,  becoming  alarmed,  attempted  to  jump  from 
the  boat  to  the  shore,  causing  it  immediately  to 
upset.  They  were  both  thrown  into  the  stream, 
which  here  ran  with  a  strong  current,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  they  reached  the  shore.  I 
immediately  called  to  one  of  the  men,  who  was 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  99 

standing  near  the  horse,  to  gallop  down  the  river's 
edge,  and  by  swimming  him  into  the  middle  of  the 
stream  to  endeavor  to  reach  the  canoe  should  it 
make  its  appearance.  But  it  was  never  seen  again, 
nor  did  we  recover  any  of  the  articles  with  which 
it  was  loaded.  We  lost  by  this  accident  seven 
rifles,  nearly  all  our  ammunition,  pistols,  saddles, 
cornmeal,  coffee,  sugar,  blankets,  etc. 

With  broken  axes  and  dull  hatchets  it  would  have 
been  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  have  constructed 
another  canoe;  and,  besides,  the  men  were  too 
much  discouraged  by  this  loss  to  undertake 
the  labor  with  the  spirit  necessary  to  carry  it 
through. 

Our  party  was  equally  divided;  we  were  seven 
on  each  side.  Some  of  the  gentlemen  on  the  left 
bank  were  now  anxious  to  return  to  New  Mexico 
to  proceed  to  California  by  some  other  route;  but 
Lieut.  Beale  would  not  listen  for  a  moment  to  such 
a  proposition.  He  hailed  me  at  eight  o'clock,  and 
told  me  that  as  soon  as  he  could  construct  a  raft, 
and  get  the  few  remaining  things  and  the  animals 
over,  we  would  push  on  for  the  Mormon  settle 
ments  near  the  Vegas  de  Santa  Clara.  Expedition 
was  necessary,  for  we  had  provisions  for  only  four 
or  five  days. 

The  Delaware  swam  back  to  Mr.  Beale's  side 
to  assist  him  to  construct  a  raft  or  canoe.  He  was 
a  splendid  swimmer,  and  went  through  the  water 
like  an  otter.  They  immediately  commenced  the 
construction  of  another  canoe,  but  both  axes  being 


ioo  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

broken,  they  soon  had  to  relinquish  the  task  as 
hopeless. 

An  inventory  was  made  of  the  provisions,  and 
it  was  found  that  we  had  twenty-five  pounds  of 
biscuit,  mostly  in  dust,  twenty-five  pounds  of  dried 
venison,  and  ten  pounds  of  bacon.  Although  this 
was  but  slender  provision  for  fourteen  hungry 
men,  we  had  no  fear  of  starvation,  or  even  of 
suffering,  as  long  as  we  had  the  mules.  I  also 
discovered  in  an  old  bag  a  small  supply  of  powder 
and  lead,  and  some  chocolate  and  tobacco.  A 
canister  of  meat -biscuit,  upon  which  we  had 
depended  in  case  of  an  emergency  of  this  sort,  had 
unfortunately  gone  down  with  the  canoe. 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  we  saw  flying 
from  a  tree  on  the  left  bank  the  preconcerted  signal 
to  "come  down  for  a  talk.'*  To  reach  the  river, 
we  had  to  wade  for  half  a  mile  through  a  deep 
marsh,  into  which  we  sank  to  our  knees,  and  the 
air  was  thick  with  mosquitoes. 

Lieut.  Beale  informed  me  that  it  had  been 
decided  to  return  to  Taos  for  supplies,  and  inquired 
whether  we  could  get  back  to  the  left  bank.  As 
two  of  the  men  on  my  side  stated  that  they  could 
not  swim,  it  was  decided  to  make  a  raft,  and,  if 
possible,  to  save  the  articles  we  had  with  us. 
Before  this  was  determined  upon,  however,  Lieut. 
Beale  ordered  Archilete  to  swim  over  to  his  side, 
which  the  latter  did  at  once,  taking  his  timber  leg 
under  his  arm;  and  in  the  afternoon  they  made 
another  ineffectual  attempt  to  get  the  animals 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  101 

across.  There  was  but  one  point  where,  it  was 
possible  to  drive  them  into  the  river,  and  here  they 
crowded  in  on  each  other  until  those  underneath 
were  near  drowning.  Lieut.  Beale  and  one  -of  the 
men,  who  were  riding,  went  into  the  river  to  lead 
the  band  across.  The  mules  fell  on  them  from 
the  bank,  which  was  at  this  place  about  three  feet 
high,  and  for  a  moment  they  were  in  imminent 
danger  of  being  crushed.  An  old  horse  alone 
struck  boldly  over,  but  none  of  the  other  animals 
followed  his  example.  They  all  got  out  on  the 
same  side,  and  could  not  be  again  driven  into  the 
water. 

Lieut.  Beale  now  desired  me  to  make  arrange 
ments  for  returning  to  his  side  of  the  river,  and 
while  preparing  the  animals  to  move  down  to  our 
camping-ground,  I  thought  I  heard  a  faint  shout, 
and  at  the  same  time  perceiving  two  dark  objects 
moving  in  the  water,  some  distance  up  the  stream, 
I  suspected  that  they  were  men  from  the  opposite 
shore  endeavoring  to  reach  land  on  our  side. 
The  current  was  carrying  them  swiftly  on  towards 
a  high  bank  overhanging  the  stream,  where,  with 
out  help,  to  have  effected  a  landing  would  have 
been  impossible. 

Hastily  seizing  a  rope,  and  calling  to  the  men  to 
follow,  I  ran  to  the  top  of  the  cliff.  In  fact,  they 
were  our  two  best  swimmers,  Dick  and  Felipe, 
who  were  scarcely  able  to  keep  their  hold  until 
ropes  could  be  let  down  to  them.  We  drew  them 
up  half  perished,  and  it  required  a  good  fire  and 


102  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

something  stimulating  to  restore  circulation  to 
their  limbs,  benumbed  by  the  icy  coldness  of  the 
water.  "Although  we  had  no  sugar,  some  coffee, 
that  the  Delaware  had  brought,  tied  in  a  hand 
kerchief  on  his  head,  cheered  the  men,  and  we 
passed  a  good  night,  happy  in  any  rest  after  such  a 
day  of  toil. 

June  29.  At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  I 
commenced  throwing  into  the  river  everything  that 
we  could  possibly  dispense  with,  such  as  clothing, 
etc.  I  allowed  each  man  to  select  sufficient  clothes 
from  the  general  stock  to  make  up  one  suit,  and 
it  was  singular  how  soon  their  wants  increased. 
Some  of  the  Mexicans,  who  heretofore  had  been 
satisfied  with  one  shirt  and  a  pair  of  pants,  now 
arrayed  themselves  in  as  many  breeches,  drawers, 
shirts,  and  stockings  as  they  could  force  themselves 
into.  I  cached,  under  a  thick  bush,  a  few 
Indian  goods  that  we  had  brought  with  us  as 
presents. 

The  three  mules  and  two  horses  were  passed 
over  to  the  left  shore  without  much  difficulty  by 
pushing  them  into  the  water  from  a  bank,  whence 
the  eddy  immediately  carried  them  into  the  middle 
of  the  stream.  They  got  out  safely  on  the  other 
side,  and  we  at  once  commenced  constructing  the 
raft. 

It  was  completed  at  i  P.M.  and,  although  it  was 
twelve  feet  in  length  by  eight  in  breadth,  the 
weight  of  seven  men,  with  the  saddles,  arms,  and 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  103 

provisions  we  had  saved,  caused  it  to  sink  eighteen 
inches  under  water.  It  drifted  rapidly  down  the 
stream,  the  men  whooping  and  yelling  until  one 
struck  up  the  old  song  of  "O  Susannah!"  when  the 
rest  sang  the  chorus.  In  this  style,  we  fell  upwards 
of  two  miles  down  the  river,  propelling  ourselves 
with  rough  paddles.  Mr.  Beale  and  others  of  the 
party  stood  on  a  hill  on  the  opposite  side  cheering 
and  waving  their  hats.  Having  approached  within 
ten  yards  of  the  left  bank,  our  tritons,  Dick  and 
Archilete,  sprang  into  the  water,  with  ropes  in  their 
teeth,  and  reaching  the  shore  soon  dragged  the 
raft  to  the  bank,  upon  which  the  remainder  of  the 
crew  landed. 

At  four  P.M.  on  this  eventful  afternoon  some  of 
the  party,  Mr.  Heap  in  command,  started  on  the 
back  trail;  those  whose  saddles  went  down  in  the 
canoe  were  mounted  on  blankets  instead.  Mr. 
Heap  was  instructed  to  go  to  the  settlements  and 
return  as  speedily  as  possible  but  so  provided  as  to 
prevent  a  second  failure  in  attempting  to  cross  the 
river. 

Wagner,  Young,  Dick  Brown,  the  Delaware,  and 
Felipe  Archilete,  Jr.,  remained  with  Lieut.  Beale 
who  encamped  on  the  Namaquasitch  a  few  miles 
back  from  the  greater  stream.  Archilete,  Sr.,  the 
nimble  cripple,  went  with  Mr.  Heap  as  guide.  He 
was  also  accompanied  by  those  volunteer  members 
of  the  expedition  who  after  their  narrow  escape 
from  drowning  preferred  taking  the  longer  route 


104  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

to  California  via  Fort  Loraine  and  the  Great  Salt 
Lake.     Mr.  Heap's  Journal  continues: 

July  2.  I  passed  a  miserable  night;  it  was  cold 
and  frosty,  with  a  piercing  north  wind.  My 
saddle-blanket  was  the  only  covering  I  had,  and  it 
was  worn  so  thin  and  threadbare  that  it  imparted 
scarcely  any  warmth.  We  saddled  up  and  started 
at  sunrise,  directing  our  course  nearly  due  east. 
The  trail  led  over  a  mountain  covered  with  thick 
pine  forests,  interspersed  with  rich  meadows,  and 
watered  by  numerous  clear  rills,  until  we  reached 
a  portion  of  the  range  where  a  hurricane  or  whirl 
wind  had,  some  years  ago,  uprooted  and  strewed  in 
every  direction  a  forest  of  tall  pine  trees.  Through 
this  tangled  mass  we  forced  our  way  with  difficulty, 
but  finally  got  through  and  commenced  a  gradual 
descent  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  range. 

Peg-leg  and  myself  were  riding  at  a  distance  in 
advance  of  the  rest  of  the  party,  when,  upon  cross 
ing  the  summit  of  a  hill,  we  suddenly  found  our 
selves  in  the  midst  of  a  large  flock  of  tame  goats, 
behind  which  was  a  band  of  fifty  mounted  Utahs 
to  whom  they  belonged.  The  Indians  immediately 
gathered  around  us  and  overwhelmed  us  with 
questions;  but  were  civil,  and  seemed  light-hearted 
and  merry.  Most  of  the  men  had  good  rifles, 
and  their  horses  were  all  in  fine  condition.  My 
first  thought  upon  meeting  these  Indians  was  the 
possibility  of  replenishing  our  exhausted  larder  with 
dried  meat,  and  Peg-leg  no  sooner  informed  them 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  105 

that  we  had  been  on  short  commons  for  several 
days  than  they  dismounted,  unpacked  their  ani 
mals,  and  from  their  store  presented  me  with  a 
plentiful  supply  of  dried  buffalo,  deer,  and  ante 
lope  flesh. 

Men,  women,  and  children  crowded  around 
my  mule,  each  handing  me  a  parcel  of  meat; 
and,  although  it  was  apparent  that  they  expected 
nothing  in  return,  I  gave  them  as  good  a  supply  of 
tobacco,  powder,  lead,  and  percussion  caps  as  I 
could  spare ;  but  nothing  delighted  them  so  much  as 
a  box  of  lucifer  matches;  for,  having  shown  them 
that  by  a  simple  friction  they  might  produce  a 
blaze,  their  joy  was  great,  and  each  member  of  the 
band  was  eager  to  perform  the  feat  of  kindling  a 
fire. 

A  garrulous  old  Indian,  who  wore,  by  way  of 
distinction,  a  "Genin".  hat,  sorely  battered  and 
bruised,  and  which  had  become  the  property  of 
this  venerable  Utah  by  one  of  those  reverses  of 
fortune  to  which  hats  are  so  liable,  addressed  us  a 
harangue  accompanied  by  many  gestures.  Peg-leg 
translated  his  meaning  to  me,  which  was  to  the 
effect  that  they  had  been  unsuccessful  in  the 
buffalo  hunt,  on  which  they  depended  in  a  great 
measure  for  their  subsistence;  that  they  had  been 
many  months  in  the  buffalo  country,  but  the 
treacherous  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes  had  driven 
them  off,  and  had  killed  some  of  their  young  men. 
He  added,  that  of  dried  antelope  and  deer  meat 
they  had  a  plenty,  and  that  we  were  welcome  to  as 


io6  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

much  as  we  needed.  This  unexpected  generosity 
made  me  regret  that  it  was  out  of  my  power  to 
make  them  a  suitable  return,  and  I  explained  to 
them  that  our  losses  in  Grand  River  had  deprived 
us  of  the  means  of  making  them  presents.  He 
replied  that  what  I  had  already  given  was  quite 
sufficient. 

Our  party  had  by  this  time  overtaken  us,  but 
fearing  that  the  "amicable  relations  so  happily 
existing'*  might  be  disturbed,  I  desired  them  not 
to  stop,  retaining  only  a  pack  animal  to  load  with 
the  meat  which  I  had  obtained. 

With  these  Indians  were  many  squaws  and 
children.  The  former  rode  astride  of  the  packs, 
and  the  boys,  some  of  whom  were  not  more  than 
five  years  of  age,  were  mounted  on  spirited  horses, 
which  they  managed  with  much  dexterity  and 
grace,  and  were  armed  with  small  bows  and  arrows, 
two  of  which  they  held  with  the  bow  in  their  left 
hand  ready  for  service.  The  chiefs  invited  us  to 
encamp  with  them,  that  they  might  treat  us  with 
goat's  milk  and  have  a  "talk";  but  I  considered  it 
most  prudent  to  separate  from  them  before  any 
cause  of  disagreement  should  arise  to  mar  the  good 
understanding  that  existed  between  us;  besides, 
it  was  too  early  in  the  day  for  us  to  stop.  I  told 
them  that,  in  the  direction  in  which  they  were 
going,  they  would  meet  some  of  our  friends  whom 
we  had  left  for  a  short  time,  and  that  on  our  return 
we  would  bring  them  tobacco  and  other  presents. 
They  promised  to  treat  our  friends  well,  and,  after 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  107 

a  general  shaking  of  hands,  we  parted  mutually 
pleased  with  each  other. 

We  encamped  at  noon  on  a  fork  of  Sahwatch 
Creek,  running  to  the  eastward  through  a  broad 
grassy  valley,  and  after  a  rest  of  two  hours  resumed 
our  journey.  We  had  not  proceeded  far  when  we 
noticed  at  a  short  distance  to  our  right  a  singular- 
looking  object,  which  appeared  to  be  rolling  rather 
than  walking  over  the  ground.  On  approaching 
it,  it  proved  to  be  a  decrepit  Utah  squaw,  bending 
under  the  weight  of  two  packs  of  buffalo  robes,  one 
of  which  she  bore  on  her  shoulders,  whilst  the  other 
was  suspended  in  front.  She  was  much  terrified 
when  we  galloped  towards  her,  and  although  she 
made  a  feeble  attempt  to  fly,  her  shaking  limbs  bent 
under  her,  and  she  sank  to  the  ground  paralyzed 
with  fear.  We,  however,  reassured  her,  and  got  her 
to  explain  to  us  the  cause  of  her  being  in  this  lonely 
region  by  herself.  Archilete  being  interpreter, 
she  told  us  that,  three  moons  previous,  a  party  of 
her  people  going  to  hunt  buffaloes  had  left  her  and 
another  old  woman  in  the  mountains,  as  neither 
had  horses,  and  they  were  unable  to  keep  up  with 
the  band  on  foot.  She  said  that  they  had  sub 
sisted  on  meat  left  them  by  their  tribe,  and  ended 
by  telling  us  that  she  had  just  buried  her  com 
panion,  who  had  died  the  previous  night,  and  that 
she  was  now  on  her  way  to  the  summer  rendezvous 
of  her  people,  carrying  her  own  and  her  com 
panion's  pack.  We  informed  her  that  she  would 
probably  overtake  a  band  of  Utahs  that  night  or 


io8  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  next  day,  and  placed  her  on  their  trail.  She 
seemed  glad  to  receive  this  news,  and  still  more  so 
when  we  turned  our  mules'  heads  to  leave  her, 
though  we  had  shown  her  all  possible  kindness— 
so  hard  is  it  in  them  to  believe  in  the  sincerity  of 
white  people. 

The  trail  led  over  low  hills  and  down  a  succession 
of  beautiful  slopes,  running  mostly  in  a  southerly 
direction,  until  we  entered  a  narrow  winding 
valley  two  and  a  half  miles  in  length  by  one 
hundred  to  two  hundred  yards  in  breadth.  It 
was  shut  in  on  each  side  by  perpendicular  walls 
of  rock  rising  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  valley,  whose  surface  was 
flat  and  carpeted  with  tender  grass.  A  stream 
of  clear  water  meandered  through  its  centre, 
and  the  grade  was  so  slight  that  the  stream, 
overflowing  its  banks  in  many  places,  moistened 
the  whole  surface. 

As  we  descended  this  beautiful  and  singular 
valley,  we  occasionally  passed  others  of  a  similar 
character  opening  into  it.  It  ends  in  Sah watch 
Valley,  which  we  entered  about  an  hour  before 
sunset. 

We  had  here  the  choice  of  two  routes:  the  first 
was  down  Sahwatch  Valley  to  its  outlet  near  the 
head  of  the  valley  of  San  Luis,  which  would  have 
taken  us  over  the  same  ground  that  we  had  tra 
versed  in  coming  in  from  Fort  Massachusetts;  the 
second  crossed  Sahwatch  Valley  here,  passed  over 
a  shorter  and  as  good  a  route,  and  entered  San  Luis 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  109 

Valley  near  where  the  Garita  leaves  the  mountains. 
We  selected  the  last  route. 

Coochatope  Pass  enters  Sahwatch  Valley  a  mile 
below  Carnero  Pass.  Crossing  Sahwatch  Valley, 
here  half  a  mile  broad,  we  travelled  up  a  narrow 
valley  for  a  short  distance  into  the  hills  and 
encamped  at  dark.  Day's  travel,  47  miles;  dis 
tance  from  Grand  River,  138  miles. 


July  3.  During  the  early  part  of  the  night  the 
mosquitoes  swarmed  around  us,  but  it  soon  became 
cold,  which  drove  them  away.  We  were  delayed 
some  time  after  sunrise  in  consequence  of  most 
of  the  mules  having  gone  astray;  they  were  not 
recovered  until  near  seven  o'clock,  when  we  re 
sumed  our  journey.  Our  course  was  generally  east, 
down  a  succession  of  valleys,  whose  surface  was 
level  and  moist,  with  hills  rising  abruptly  on  either 
side.  We  saw  a  great  abundance  of  game,  but 
killed  nothing  but  a  grouse.  These  mountains 
teem  with  antelope,  deer,  and  mountain  sheep. 

July  6.  To  secure  an  early  start,  and  to  prevent 
our  animals  from  trespassing  upon  the  cultivated 
fields,  none  of  which  are  inclosed,  a  man  was 
engaged  to  watch  them  whilst  at  pasture  during 
the  night;  but  my  horse  having  been  allowed  to 
escape,  it  was  not  until  after  sunrise  that  I  could 
procure  another.  A  ride  of  twenty-two  miles 
brought  us  to  the  Colorado  (Red  River),  our  road 
taking  us  across  three  small  streams  (Las  Ladillas) 


no  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

on  the  borders  of  which  were  extensive  sheep 
ranches.  The  Colorado  is  formed  by  the  junction 
of  two  abundant  streams,  which  issue  from  deep 
canyons  in  lofty  and  abruptly  rising  mountains. 
The  valley  of  the  Colorado  is  about  three  miles  in 
length  by  one  in  breadth,  and  the  Colorado  River, 
having  passed  it,  flows  through  a  deep  channel  in 
the  plain,  and  unites  its  waters  to  those  of  the  Del 
Norte.  The  valley  presents  a  beautiful  view,  and 
being  abundantly  irrigated  by  means  of  acequias 
(canals)  every  acre  of  it  is  under  cultivation.  The 
village  of  the  Colorado  consists  of  one  hundred 
adobe  houses  built  to  form  a  quadrangle,  with 
their  doors  and  windows  presenting  upon  the 
square  inside. 

Mr.  Charles  Otterby,  a  Missourian,  long  domi 
ciled  in  New  Mexico,  invited  me  to  his  house  and 
procured  me  a  fresh  horse,  as  the  one  I  had  ridden 
from  the  Costilla  (a  distance  of  twenty-two  miles) 
in  two  hours  and  a  half  had  broken  down.  I  left 
Colorado  at  noon  and,  travelling  twelve  miles 
across  a  mountain,  over  a  rough  and  stony  road, 
I  reached  the  Rio  Hondo  (Deep  Creek)  which  is  so 
called  from  its  channel  being  sunk  in  many  places 
far  below  the  level  of  the  plain ;  for  the  stream  itself 
is  neither  deep  nor  broad.  I  here  engaged  a  young 
American,  Thomas  Otterby,  to  go  with  us  to  Cali 
fornia,  he  having  a  reputation  almost  equal  to  Kit 
Carson's  for  bravery,  dexterity  with  his  rifle,  and 
skill  in  mountain  life.  I  also  purchased  a  mule  to 
replace  my  unshod  and  sore-footed  horse,  and  rode 


Across  the  Plains  in  '53  in 

to  Taos,  nine  miles  beyond,  across  a  level  plain, 
arriving  there  at  3  P.M. 

Mr.  St.  Vrain,  for  whom  I  had  a  letter,  being 
absent  from  Taos,  I  was  hospitably  received  by 
his  lady.  I  immediately  called  on  Mr.  Leroux, 
who  had  a  few  days  previously  returned  from  Fort 
Atkinson  in  improved  health.  Making  known  to 
him  the  accident  which  had  befallen  us  at  Grand 
River,  and  stating  our  wants,  I  obtained,  with  his 
assistance,  the  supplies  we  needed.  Raw  hides 
were  procured  and  sewed  together,  to  be  used  as 
boats  for  crossing  rivers.  Corn  was  parched  to 
make  pinole  (parched  and  pounded  cornmeal, 
sweetened),  coffee  roasted,  etc. 

San  Fernando  de  Taos  is  situated  in  the  centre  of 
a  broad  plain,  watered  by  two  or  three  small  brooks 
whose  waters  are  entirely  absorbed  in  the  irriga 
tion  of  the  lands  around  the  town.  It  presents, 
both  within  and  without,  a  poor  appearance;  its 
low,  earth-colored  houses,  scattered  irregularly 
about,  look  dingy  and  squalid,  though  within  many 
of  them  are  comfortable;  and  they  are  all  well 
adapted  to  the  climate.  The  town  is  surrounded 
with  uninclosed  fields,  very  fertile  when  irrigated, 
and  the  Taos  wheat,  originally  obtained  from  the 
wild  wheat  growing  spontaneously  on  the  Santa 
Clara  and  the  Rio  de  la  Virgen,  has  obtained  a  wide 
reputation. 


CHAPTER  VII 
BEALE'S  SEPARATE  JOURNAL 

Hunting  Prowess  of  the  Delaware — Indians  Appear  in  Camp 
—Banquet  of  Venison  and  Boiled  Corn — The  Beautiful 
Valley  of  the  Savoya — The  Indians  Race  their  Horses 
—A  Taste  of  Rough  Riding— The  Return  of  Mr.  Heap. 

July  i.  Remained  in  camp  to  await  the  return 
of  Heap,  with  provisions,  etc.  Remained  with  me 
the  Delaware,  Dick  Brown,  Felipe  Archilete,  Jr., 
Harry  Young,  and  Wagner.  Nothing  to  eat  in 
camp ;  sent  the  Delaware  out  to  hunt,  and  we  com 
menced  a  house.  About  nine,  Dick  returned  with 
a  buck,  finished  the  house;  sick  with  dysentery. 
We  find  the  venison  good,  it  being  the  first  meat  or 
food  of  any  kind,  except  cornmeal  and  water,  we 
have  had  for  a  week. 

July  2.  Weather  pleasant;  mosquitoes  abund 
ant,  but  not  troublesome;  washed  the  two  dirty 
shirts  which  composed  my  wardrobe.  No  signs  of 
Indians,  and  begin  to  hope  we  shall  not  be  troubled 
with  them.  Nevertheless  keep  the  fright  medicine 
at  hand,  and  the  guns  ready.  Grass  abundant 
and  good,  animals  thriving;  the  Delaware  killed 
an  elk,  dried  some  meat ;  still  sick. 

112 


Beale's  Separate  Journal  113 

July  3.  Employed  the  day  in  drying  the  meat 
killed  yesterday.  Weather  very  hot;  but  for  the 
sunshine  one  would  suppose  it  to  be  snowing,  the 
air  being  filled  with  light  fleeces  like  snow-flakes 
from  the  cottonwood.  The  creek  is  falling,  but 
slowly.  Time  drags  very  heavily ;  three  days  gone, 
however,  and  nine  remain ;  twelve  days  being  the 
time  allotted  to  go  and  return  from  Taos. 

July  4.  Celebrated  the  day  by  eating  our  last 
two  cups  of  pinole;  felt  highly  excited  by  it. 
Henceforth  we  go  it  on  tobacco  and  dried  meat. 
The  Delaware  killed  a  doe,  tolerably  fat;  dried  the 
meat;  still  sick;  bathed  in  creek;  found  the  water 
excessively  cold,  but  felt  much  refreshed  and  better 
after  the  bath,  besides  having  killed  an  hour  by  it — 
a  very  important  item. 

July  5.  To-day  we  killed  only  a  rabbit.  The 
day  has  been  somewhat  cool,  though  the  evening 
is  dry  and  sultry,  and  the  mosquitoes  much  more 
troublesome  than  usual.  Took  a  bath,  which 
seems  to  give  relief  from  my  malady,  which,  thank 
God,  is  no  worse.  We  hope  that  our  men  have 
reached  Taos  this  evening. 

July  6.  To-day  has  been  cloudy,  with  rain  in 
the  mountains  all  around  us,  though  but  a  few 
scattering  drops  have  reached  the  valley.  We 
all  complain  this  evening  of  great  weakness 
and  entire  lack  of  energy,  with  dizziness  in  the 
head,  and  do  not  know  from  what  cause  it 
proceeds.  The  bath  in  the  creek  has  not  had 
its  usual  invigorating  effect;  mosquitoes  very 


ii4  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

troublesome;  made  a  little  soup  in  a  tin  box  and 
found  it  tolerable. 

July  7.  For  the  last  two  days  we  have  killed 
nothing.  This  evening  we  had  quite  a  shower  of 
rain;  started  to  take  a  long  walk,  but  broke  down 
very  soon,  being  too  weak  to  go  far.  I  find  my 
sickness  worse  to-day,  but  it  is  the  least  of  my 
anxieties.  Would  to  God  I  had  none  other !  Took 
the  usual  evening  bath  in  the  creek,  which  has 
slightly  fallen  during  the  day,  and  the  water  not 
quite  so  cold,  which  encourages  me  to  hope  that 
the  supply  of  snow  in  the  mountains  is  nearly 
exhausted. 

July  8.  This  morning  our  anxieties  from  Indians 
have  commenced.  At  ten  o'clock  three  of  them 
rode  into  camp,  and  shortly  afterwards  some  dozen 
more. 

July  9.  Yesterday,  after  the  Indians  arrived, 
I  gave  them  what  little  tobacco  we  could  spare  and 
some  of  our  small  stock  of  dried  elk  meat.  After 
eating  and  smoking  for  a  while  they  insisted  on  my 
accompanying  them  to  their  camp,  which  was 
some  ten  miles  off.  I  explained  to  them  as  well  as 
I  could  who  I  was. 

Knowing  that  it  is  best  always  to  act  boldly 
with  Indians,  as  if  you  felt  no  fear  whatever,  I 
armed  myself  and  started  with  them.  Our  road 
for  a  mile  or  two  led  over  a  barren  plain,  thickly 
covered  with  greasewood,  but  we  soon  struck  the 
base  of  the  mountain,  where  the  firm  rich  mountain 
grass  swept  our  saddle-girths  as  we  cantered  over 


Beale's  Separate  Journal  115 

it.  We  crossed  a  considerable  mountain  covered 
with  timber  and  grass,  and  near  the  summit  of 
which  was  quite  a  cluster  of  small,  but  very  clear 
and  apparently  deep  lakes.  They  were  not  more 
than  an  acre  or  two  in  size,  and  some  not  even  that, 
but  surrounded  by  luxuriant  grass,  and  perched 
away  up  on  the  mountain,  with  fine  timber  quite 
near  them.  It  was  the  most  beautiful  scenery  in 
the  world ;  it  formed  quite  a  hunter's  paradise,  for 
deer  and  elk  bounded  off  from  us  as  we  approached 
and  then  stood  within  rifle-shot,  looking  back  in 
astonishment. 

A  few  hours'  ride  brought  us  to  the  Indian  camp ; 
and  I  wish  I  could  here  describe  the  beauty  of 
the  charming  valley  in  which  they  lived.  It  was 
small,  probably  not  more  than  five  miles  wide  by 
fifteen  long,  but  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the 
boldest  mountains,  covered  to  their  summits  with 
alternate  patches  of  timber  and  grass,  giving  it  the 
appearance  of  having  been  regularly  laid  off  in 
small  farms.  Through  the  centre  a  fine  bold 
stream,  probably  three  feet  deep  by  forty  wide, 
watered  the  meadow  land,  and  gave  the  last  touch 
which  the  valley  required  to  make  it  the  most  beau 
tiful  I  had  ever  seen.  Hundreds  of  horses  and 
goats  were  feeding  on  the  meadows  and  hillsides, 
and  the  Indian  lodges,  with  the  women  and  children 
standing  in  front  of  them  to  look  at  the  approaching 
stranger,  strongly  reminded  me  of  the  old  patri 
archal  times,  when  flocks  and  herds  made  the 
wealth  and  happiness  of  the  people,  and  a  tent  was 


n6  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

as  good  as  a  palace.  I  was  conducted  to  the  lodge 
of  the  chief,  an  old  and  infirm  man,  who  welcomed 
me  kindly,  and  told  me  his  young  men  had  told 
him  I  had  given  of  my  small  store  to  them,  and  to 
" sit  in  peace." 

I  brought  out  my  pipe,  filled  it,  and  we  smoked 
together.  In  about  fifteen  minutes  a  squaw 
brought  in  two  large  wooden  platters,  containing 
some  very  fat  deer  meat  and  some  boiled  corn,  to 
which  I  did  ample  justice.  After  this  followed  a 
dish  which  one  must  have  been  two  weeks  without 
bread  to  have  appreciated  as  I  did.  Never  at  the 
tables  of  the  wealthiest  in  Washington  did  I  find 
a  dish  which  appeared  to  me  so  perfectly  without 
a  parallel.  It  was  some  cornmeal  boiled  in  goat's 
milk,  with  a  little  elk  fat.  I  think  I  certainly  ate 
near  half  a  peck  of  this  delicious  atole,  and  then 
stopped,  not  because  I  had  enough,  but  because  I 
had  scraped  the  dish  dry  with  my  fingers,  and  licked 
them  as  long  as  the  smallest  particle  remained, 
which  is  "  manners "  among  Indians,  and  also 
among  Arabs.  Eat  all  they  give  you,  or  get  some 
body  to  do  it  for  you,  is  to  honor  the  hospitality 
you  receive.  To  leave  any  is  a  slight.  I  needed 
not  the  rule  to  make  me  eat  all. 

After  this  we  smoked  again,  and  when  about  to 
start  I  found  a  large  bag  of  dried  meat  and  a  peck 
of  corn  put  up  for  me  to  take  to  my  people. 

Bidding  a  friendly  good-bye  to  my  hosts,  and 
dividing  among  them  about  a  pound  of  tobacco 
and  two  handkerchiefs,  and  giving  the  old  chief 


Beale's  Separate  Journal  117 

the  battered  remains  of  a  small  leaden  picayune 
looking-glass,  I  mounted  my  mule  to  return.  The 
sun  was  just  setting  when  I  started,  and  before 
reaching  the  summit  of  the  mountain  it  was  quite 
dark.  As  there  was  no  road,  and  the  creek  very 
dark  in  the  bottoms,  I  had  a  most  toilsome  time  of 
it.  At  one  creek,  which  I  reached  after  very  great 
difficulty  in  getting  through  the  thick  and  almost 
impenetrable  undergrowth,  it  was  so  dark  that  I 
could  see  nothing;  but,  trusting  to  luck,  I  jumped 
my  mule  off  the  bank  and  brought  up  in  water 
nearly  covering  my  saddle.  Getting  in  was  bad 
enough,  but  coming  out  was  worse;  for,  finding  the 
banks  high  on  the  other  side,  I  was  obliged  to  follow 
down  the  stream  for  half  a  mile  or  more,  not  know 
ing  when  I  should  be  swimming,  until  I  succeeded 
with  great  difficulty  in  getting  out  through  the 
tangled  brushwood  on  the  opposite  side.  I  arrived 
at  camp  late  at  night,  and  found  my  men  very 
anxiously  awaiting  my  return,  having  almost  con 
cluded  to  give  me  up,  and  to  think  I  had  lost  my 
"hair."  A  little  rain. 

July  1 1 .  To-day  I  raised  camp  and  went  over 
to  the  valley  of  the  Savoya,  near  my  Indian  neigh 
bors.  The  more  I  see  of  this  valley  the  more  I  am 
delighted  with  it.  I  cannot  say  how  it  may  be  in 
winter,  but  at  this  time  it  is  certainly  the  most 
beautiful  valley,  and  the  richest  in  grass,  wood,  soil, 
and  water,  I  have  ever  seen.  The  Delaware 
brought  into  camp  last  evening  a  small  deer, 
alive,  which  he  had  caught  in  the  mountains. 


n8  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

It  was  a  beautiful  creature,  but  it  escaped  in  the 
night. 

July  12.  Went  out  this  morning  with  the 
Indians  to  hunt.  They  lent  me  a  fine  horse;  but 
God  forbid  that  I  should  ever  hunt  with  such 
Indians  again!  I  thought  I  had  seen  something  of 
rough  riding  before;  but  all  my  experience  faded 
before  that  of  the  feats  of  to-day.  Some  places 
which  we  ascended  and  descended  it  seemed  to  me 
that  even  a  wildcat  could  hardly  have  passed  over; 
and  yet  their  active  and  thoroughly  well-trained 
horses  took  them  as  part  of  the  sport,  and  never 
made  a  misstep  or  blunder  during  the  entire  day. 
We  killed  three  antelopes  and  a  young  deer. 

Yesterday  an  Indian,  while  sitting  at  our  camp, 
broke  the  mainspring  of  his  rifle  lock.  His  distress 
was  beyond  anything  within  the  power  of  descrip 
tion.  To  him  it  was  everything.  The  "corn, 
wine,  and  oil"  of  his  family  depended  on  it,  and  he 
sat  for  an  hour  looking  upon  the  wreck  of  his  for 
tune  in  perfect  despair.  He  appeared  so  much 
cast  down  by  it  that  at  last  I  went  into  our  lodge 
and  brought  my  rifle,  which  I  gave  him  to  replace 
the  broken  one.  At  first  he  could  not  realize  it, 
but  as  the  truth  gradually  broke  upon  him,  his  joy 
became  so  great  that  he  could  scarce  control  him 
self ;  and  when  he  returned  that  night  he  was  the 
happiest  man  I  have  seen  for  many  a  day. 

These  Indians  are  all  well  armed  and  mounted, 
and  the  very  best  shots  and  hunters.  Our  revol 
vers  seem,  however,  to  be  a  never  failing  source  of 


Beale's  Separate  Journal  1 19 

astonishment  to  them,  and  they  are  never  tired  of 
examining  them.  Yesterday,  I  allowed  them  to  fire 
two  of  ours  at  a  mark,  at  thirty  paces.  They  shot 
admirably  well,  putting  all  the  shots  within  a  space 
of  the  small  mark  (size  of  a  half  dollar)  and  hitting 
it  several  times.  A  rainy  day. 

July  13.  To-day  has  been  showery,  and  the 
evening  still  cloudy,  and  promising  more  rain 
during  the  night.  Our  eyes  are  now  turned  con 
stantly  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  down 
which  the  road  winds  by  which  we  expect  our 
companions  from  Taos. 

These  days  have  been  the  most  weary  and 
anxious  of  my  whole  life.  Sometimes  I  am  almost 
crazy  with  thinking  constantly  on  one  subject  and 
the  probably  disastrous  result  which  this  delay 
may  have  on  my  business  in  California. 

God  knows  I  have  done  all  for  the  best,  and  with 
the  best  intentions.  A  great  many  Indians  came 
into  the  valley  this  evening.  Ten  lodges  in  all, 
which,  with  the  fifteen  already  here,  and  more  on 
the  road,  make  up  a  pretty  large  band.  Dick 
killed  an  antelope.  Last  two  nights  have  slept  in 
wet  blankets,  and  expect  the  same  to-night.  Last 
night  it  rained  all  night.  The  Spanish  boy  has 
been  quite  ill  for  two  days  past. 

July  14.  This  morning  I  explored  the  mountain 
lying  to  the  north  of  our  camp,  forming  a  pictur 
esque  portion  of  our  front  view.  After  ascending 
the  mountain  and  reaching  the  summit,  I  found  it 
a  vast  plateau  of  rolling  prairie  land,  covered  with 


120  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  most  beautiful  grass,  and  heavily  timbered. 
At  some  places  the  growth  of  timber  would  be  so 
dense  as  to  render  riding  through  it  impossible 
without  great  difficulty;  while  at  others  it  would 
break  into  beautiful  open  glades,  leaving  spaces  of 
a  hundred  acres  or  more  of  open  prairie,  with 
groups  of  trees,  looking  precisely  as  if  some  wealthy 
planter  had  amused  himself  by  planting  them 
expressly  to  beautify  his  grounds. 

Springs  were  abundant,  and  small  streams  in 
tersected  the  whole  plateau.  In  fact,  it  was  an 
immense  natural  park,  already  stocked  with  deer 
and  elk,  and  only  requiring  a  fence  to  make  it  an 
estate  for  a  king.  Directly  opposite,  to  the  south, 
is  another  mountain,  in  every  respect  similar,  and 
our  valley,  more  beautiful  to  me  than  either,  lies 
between  them.  In  the  evening  took  a  long  ride  on 
the  trail  to  meet  our  long-expected  companions. 
I  did  not  meet  them,  and  returned  disappointed, 
worried,  and  more  anxious  than  ever. 

July  15.  This  has  been  a  great  day  for  our 
Indian  neighbors.  Two  different  bands  of  the 
same  tribe  have  met,  and  a  great  contest  is  going 
on  to  prove  which  has  the  best  horses.  They  have 
been  at  it  since  the  morning,  and  many  a  buckskin 
has  changed  hands.  The  horses  are  all  handsome, 
and  run  remarkably  well.  We  have  had  more  than 
fifty  races;  a  surfeit  of  them,  if  such  a  thing  as  a 
surfeit  of  horse-racing  is  possible. 

July  1 6.  Here  at  last.  This  morning  I  saddled 
my  mule  to  go  and  hunt  up  our  expected  com- 


Beale's  Separate  Journal  121 

panions.  I  had  not  gone  far  before  I  met  about 
fifty  Indians,  from  whom  I  could  learn  nothing  of 
them,  and  was  beginning  to  despair,  when  I  met  a 
loose  mule,  and  as  I  knew  it  was  not  one  of  the 
Indians'  I  concluded  it  must  belong  to  some  of  our 
companions.  Going  on  a  mile  or  two  farther,  I 
met  Felipe,  who  told  me  that  Heap  and  the  others 
were  just  behind.  I  immediately  returned  to 
camp  to  get  dinner  ready  for  them,  so  that  we 
might  go  on  this  evening  to  the  Uncompagre. 
Here  terminates  the  most  unpleasant  sixteen  days 
of  my  life;  but  for  this  beautiful  country,  to  look 
at  and  explore,  I  think  I  should  have  gone  crazy. 
The  time  seemed  endless  to  me,  but  my  zealous 
comrades  had  not  unnecessarily  lengthened  it,  for 
they  had  averaged  45  miles  a  day  during  the  double 
journey  (going  and  coming)  and  that  through  the 
whole  mass  of  mountains  which  lie  between  the 
Upper  Del  Norte  and  the  Grand  River  Fork  of 
the  great  Colorado  (Red  River)  of  the  Gulf  of 
California. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
ON  THE  VERGE  OF  HOSTILITIES 

Shaking  Hands  with  Utahs — Picturesque  Encampment  on 
the  Big  Uncompagre — Lieutenant  Beale  and  the 
"Capitanos" — A  Stiff  Demand  for  Presents — A  Pair 
of  Game-cocks — Crossing  the  Fallen  River — Indians 
in  Paint  and  Feathers — Beale's  Ultimatum — The  Dela 
ware's  Long  Memory — Grand  River  Canyon — The 
Crossing — The  Indians  Attempt  a  Stampede — The 
Mormons  near  the  Vegas  of  Santa  Clara — Paragoona — 
Brigham  Young — Why  the  Mormons  Settled  at 
Parawan — Little  Salt  Lake — Strict  Vigilance  over 
Strangers — Colonel  Smith — The  Practice  of  Polygamy 
— Views  on  the  System  of  "Spiritual  Wives. " 

SHORTLY  after  Mr.  Heap  returned  to  camp 
with  the  much  needed  supplies  Lieut.  Beale 
despatched  Wagner  and  Gallengo  to  Grand 
River  with  the  bull-hides,  directing  them  to  make 
a  boat  should  they  fail  to  find  a  ford.     Mr.  Heap's 
Journal  continues : 

July  17.  We  were  now  again  united,  and  freed 
from  the  anxiety  for  each  other's  safety  which  had 
been  weighing  on  us  since  the  day  of  our  separation. 
We  resumed  our  journey  at  sunrise,  with  the  hope 
of  soon  overcoming  all  difficulties.  Although  the 

122 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  123 

sun  rose  in  a  cloudless  sky,  yet  before  noon  the 
rain  commenced  falling  in  heavy  showers.  Lieut. 
Beale  and  myself,  having  much  to  relate  to  each 
other,  rode  several  miles  ahead  of  the  men.  We 
descended  to  the  plain  at  the  foot  of  the  Sah- 
watch  Mountains  by  the  same  trail  over  which  we 
had  already  twice  travelled,  and  which  was  now 
familiar  to  us. 

On  approaching  the  Uncompagre  we  travelled 
parallel  with  its  course  towards  Grand  River, 
keeping  on  the  trail  of  the  two  men  sent  ahead  the 
day  before  with  the  hides  to  construct  the  boat. 
At  noon,  we  noticed  two  recumbent  figures  on  a 
distant  butte,  with  horses  standing  near  them; 
when  we  had  approached  within  a  mile  they  sprang 
to  their  saddles  and  galloped  towards  us  at  full 
speed.  They  were  Utah  Indians,  on  a  scout,  and 
evinced  no  fear  of  us,  but  approaching,  frankly 
offered  us  their  hands.  We  conversed  with  them 
partly  by  signs  and  partly  by  means  of  the  few 
Utah  words  which  we  had  picked  up,  and  their 
scanty  knowledge  of  Spanish,  which  extended  only 
to  the  names  of  a  few  objects  and  animals.  They 
told  us  that  large  numbers  of  their  tribe  were 
encamped  a  few  miles  below,  on  the  Uncompagre, 
and,  bidding  them  farewell,  we  went  on  to  meet  our 
train. 

Soon  after  parting  with  them,  we  saw  on  the 
hillsides  and  river  bottom  a  vast  number  of  gayly- 
colored  lodges,  and  numerous  bands  of  Indians 
arriving  from  the  northward.  Upon  approaching, 


124  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

we  were  received  by  a  number  of  the  oldest  men, 
who  invited  us  to  ascend  a  low  but  steep  hill 
where  most  of  the  chiefs  were  seated.  From  this 
point  we  had  a  view  of  an  animated  and  interesting 
scene.  On  every  side  fresh  bands  of  Indians  were 
pouring  in,  and  the  women  were  kept  busy  in  erect 
ing  their  lodges  in  the  bottom  near  the  Uncom- 
pagre,  as  well  as  on  the  higher  land  nearer  to  us. 
Horses  harnessed  to  lodge  poles,  on  which  were 
packed  the  various  property  of  the  Indians  and  in 
many  cases  their  children,  were  arriving,  and  large 
bands  of  loose  horses  and  mules  were  being  driven 
to  the  riverside  to  drink  or  to  pasture.  Squaws  were 
going  to  the  stream  for  water,  whilst  others  were 
returning  with  their  osier  jars  filled,  and  poised  on 
their  heads.  Some  of  the  young  men  were  gallop 
ing  around  on  their  high-mettled  horses,  and  others, 
stretched  lazily  on  the  grass,  were  patiently  wait 
ing  until  their  better  halves  had  completed  the 
construction  of  their  lodges,  and  announced  that 
the  evening  meal  was  prepared.  All  the  males, 
from  the  old  man  to  the  stripling  of  four  years, 
were  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  and  most  of 
the  men  had  serviceable  rifles.  We  almost  fancied 
that  we  had  before  us  a  predatory  tribe  of  Scythians 
or  Numidians,  so  similar  are  these  Indians  in  their 
dress,  accoutrements,  and  habits,  to  what  we  have 
learned  of  those  people. 

An  old  chief,  who,  we  were  told,  was  one  of  their 
great  men,  addressed  us  a  discourse,  which  very 
soon  went  beyond  the  limits  of  our  knowledge  of 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  125 

the  Utah  tongue,  but  we  listened  to  it  with  the 
appearance  of  not  only  understanding  the  sub 
ject,  but  also  of  being  highly  interested.  Our 
men,  with  Felipe  Archilete,  the  guide  and  inter 
preter,  were  many  miles  in  the  rear,  and  we  waited 
until  their  arrival,  for  Lieut.  Beale  wished  to  take 
advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  have  a  conver 
sation  with  these  chiefs,  two  of  whom  were  the 
highest  in  the  nation. 

When  Felipe  came  up,  Lieut.  Beale  and  the 
"capitanos,"  as  they  styled  themselves,  engaged  in 
a  long  "talk."  Lieut.  Beale  told  them  that  many 
Americans  would  be  soon  passing  through  their 
country  on  their  way  to  the  Mormon  settlements 
and  California,  with  wagons  and  herds,  and  that, 
if  they  treated  the  whites  well,  either  by  aiding 
them  when  in  difficulty,  guiding  them  through  the 
mountains,  and  across  the  rivers,  or  by  furnishing 
them  with  food  when  they  needed  it,  they  would 
always  be  amply  rewarded.  They  appeared  much 
gratified  to  hear  this  and  by  way,  no  doubt,  of  test 
ing  whether  his  practice  coincided  with  his  preach 
ing,  intimated  that  they  would  be  well  pleased  to 
receive,  then,  some  of  the  presents  of  which  he 
spoke;  remarking,  that  as  we  had  passed  through 
their  country,  used  their  pasturage,  lived  among 
their  people,  and  had  even  been  fed  by  them,  it 
was  but  proper  that  some  small  return  should  be 
made  for  so  many  favors.  This  was  an  argument 
which  Lieut.  Beale  had  not  foreseen,  but  having 
no  presents  to  give  them,  he  explained  how  it  was ; 


126  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

that,  having  lost  everything  we  possessed  in  Grand 
River,  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  gratify  them. 
This  explanation  did  not  appear  at  all  satisfactory, 
nor  did  they  seem  altogether  to  credit  him.  They 
were  very  covetous  of  our  rifles,  but  we  could  not, 
of  course,  part  with  them.  The  old  chief  became 
taciturn  and  sulky,  and  glanced  towards  us  occa 
sionally  with  a  malignant  expression. 

We  took  no  notice  of  his  ill-temper,  but  lit  our 
pipes  and  passed  them  around.  Tn  the  meanwhile, 
our  men  had,  in  accordance  with  Mr.  Beale' s 
directions,  proceeded  to  Grand  River,  where  they 
were  to  seek  for  Wagner  and  Gallengo,  and  encamp 
with  them.  Felipe,  whose  quick  and  restless  eye 
was  always  on  the  watch,  dropped  us  a  hint,  in  a 
few  words,  that  it  was  becoming  unsafe  to  remain 
longer  in  the  midst  of  these  savages,  for  he  had 
noticed  symptoms  of  very  unfriendly  feelings. 

We  were  seated  in  a  semicircle  on  the  brow  of  a 
steep  hill,  and  a  large  crowd  had  collected  around 
us.  Rising  without  exhibiting  any  haste,  we 
adjusted  our  saddles,  relit  our  pipes,  and  shaking 
hands  with  the  chiefs  who  were  nearest  to  us, 
mounted  and  rode  slowly  down  the  hill,  followed 
by  a  large  number  of  Utahs,  who,  upon  our  rising 
to  leave  them,  had  sprung  to  their  saddles.  The 
older  men  remained  seated  and  our  escort  consisted 
almost  entirely  of  young  warriors.  They  galloped 
around  us  in  every  direction;  occasionally,  a  squad 
of  four  or  five  would  charge  upon  us  at  full  speed, 
reining  up  suddenly,  barely  avoiding  riding  over  us 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  127 

and  our  mules.  They  did  this  to  try  our  mettle, 
but  as  we  took  little  notice  of  them,  and  affected 
perfect  unconcern,  they  finally  desisted  from  their 
dangerous  sport.  At  one  time  the  conduct  of 
a  young  chief,  the  son  of  El  Capitan  Grande, 
was  near  occasioning  serious  consequences.  He 
charged  upon  Felipe  with  a  savage  yell,  every 
feature  apparently  distorted  with  rage;  his  horse 
struck  Felipe's  mule,  and  very  nearly  threw  them 
both  to  the  ground.  The  Indian,  then  seizing 
Felipe's  rifle,  endeavored  to  wrench  it  from  his 
hands,  but  the  latter  held  firmly  to  his  gun,  telling 
us  at  the  same  time  not  to  interfere.  We  and  the 
Indians  formed  a  circle  around  them,  as  they  sat 
in  their  saddles,  each  holding  on  to  the  gun,  whose 
muzzle  was  pointed  full  at  the  Indian's  breast. 
He  uttered  many  imprecations  and  urged  his  fol 
lowers  to  lend  him  their  assistance.  They  looked 
at  us  inquiringly,  and  we  cocked  our  rifles;  the 
hint  was  sufficient — they  declined  to  interfere. 
For  some  minutes  the  Utah  and  Felipe  remained 
motionless,  glaring  at  each  other  like  two  game 
cocks,  each  watching  with  flashing  eyes  for  an 
opportunity  to  assail  his  rival.  Seeing  that  to 
trifle  longer  would  be  folly,  Felipe,  who  held  the 
butt-end  of  the  rifle,  deliberately  placed  his  thumb 
on  the  hammer  and  raising  it  slowly,  gave  warning 
to  the  young  chief,  by  two  ominous  clicks,  that 
his  life  was  in  danger.  For  a  moment  longer 
the  Utah  eyed  Felipe,  and  then,  with  an  indescrib 
able  grunt,  pushed  the  rifle  from  him,  and  lashing 


128  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

his  horse  furiously,  rode  away  from  us  at  full  speed. 
Felipe  gave  us  a  sly  wink,  and  uttered  the  highly 
original  ejaculation — "  Carajo." 

July  1 8.  We  saddled  up  at  early  dawn,  swam 
our  mules  across  the  Uncompagre,  and  rejoined 
our  men.  They  informed  us  that  Juan  Cordova 
had  deserted  the  day  before,  and  returned  to  Lieut. 
Beale's  encampment  on  the  Savoya  in  company 
with  the  two  Indians  we  had  met  in  the  morning, 
and  who  were  going  that  way. 

We  found  camp  filled  with  Indians  who,  how 
ever,  behaved  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  had  even 
supplied  the  men  with  a  bucketful  of  goat's  milk. 
No  time  was  lost  in  preparing  to  ford  Grand  River 
and  some  Indians  went  ahead  to  show  us  the  way. 
On  reaching  the  stream  we  found  that  it  had  fallen 
about  six  feet,  and  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Indians  had  no  difficulty  in  getting  over.  The 
water  reached  nearly  to  the  mules'  backs,  but 
the  packs  had  been  secured  so  high  as  to  prevent 
their  getting  wet. 

The  Indians  followed  us  across  in  large  numbers, 
and  at  times  tried  our  patience  to  the  utmost. 
They  numbered  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
warriors,  and  were  all  mounted  on  fine  horses, 
and  well  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  having  laid 
aside  their  rifles,  which  Felipe  considered  a  sign 
that  their  designs  were  unfriendly,  as  they  never 
carry  them  when  they  intend  to  fight  on  horseback. 
Their  appearance,  as  they  whirled  around  us  at 
full  speed,  clothed  in  bright  colors,  and  occasionally 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  129 

charging  upon  us  with  a  loud  yell,  made  a  striking 
contrast  with  that  of  our  party,  mounted  as  we 
were  upon  mules,  in  the  half-naked  condition  in 
which  we  had  crossed  the  river  (for  it  was  dan 
gerous  to  stop  for  a  moment  to  dress).  They 
enjoyed  many  laughs  at  our  expense,  taunting  us, 
and  comparing  us,  from  our  bearded  appearance, 
to  goats,  and  calling  us  beggarly  cowards  and 
women.  Most  of  these  compliments  were  lost  to 
us  at  the  time,  but  Felipe  afterwards  explained 
them. 

The  old  chief,  the  same  who  had  given  us  such 
a  surly  reception  on  the  preceding  day,  and  his 
son,  who  had  made  a  trial  of  strength  with  Felipe 
for  his  rifle,  soon  joined  us,  and  behaved  with  much 
insolence,  demanding  presents  in  an  imperious 
manner,  and  even  endeavored  to  wrench  our  guns 
from  our  hands,  threatening  to  "wipe  us  out"  if 
we  refused  to  comply  with  their  wishes.  They 
frequently  harangued  the  young  men,  and  abused 
us  violently  for  traversing  their  country,  using 
their  grass  and  timber  without  making  them  any 
acknowledgment  for  the  obligation.  The  latter 
listened  in  silence,  but  most  of  them  remained  calm 
and  unmoved,  and  evinced  no  disposition  to  molest 
us.  The  chiefs  then  changed  their  tactics  and 
endeavored  to  provoke  us  to  commence  hostilities. 
Lieut.  Beale  calmly  explained  to  them  that,  having 
lost  everything  in  the  river,  he  was  unable  to  make 
them  such  presents  as  he  would  have  desired,  and 
added  (addressing  himself  to  the  chiefs)  that  he 


130  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

clearly  saw  that  they  were  vile-hearted  men;  for, 
after  treating  us  as  brothers  and  friends,  they  were 
now  endeavoring  to  make  bad  blood  between  us 
and  their  people.  He  ended  by  telling  them  that 
we  had  a  few  articles  which  he  would  have  dis 
tributed  among  them,  had  they  not  behaved  in  so 
unfriendly  a  manner;  but  that  now,  the  only  terms 
upon  which  they  could  obtain  them  was  by  giving 
a  horse  in  exchange.  Mr.  Beale's  motive  for  not 
giving  them  presents  was  our  inability  to  satisfy 
the  whole  party,  for  all  we  possessed  was  a  piece 
of  cloth,  a  calico  shirt,  and  some  brass  wire,  and 
these  articles,  valueless  as  they  were,  if  given  to  a 
few,  would  have  excited  the  jealousy  and  ill-will 
of  the  less  fortunate,  and  thus  made  them  our 
enemies.  The  Indians,  however,  declined  giving 
a  horse  in  exchange  for  what  we  offered,  saying 
that  it  would  not  be  a  fair  bargain.  Mr.  Beale 
then  said:  "If  you  want  to  trade,  we  will  trade;  if 
you  want  to  fight,  we  will  fight*';  requesting  those 
who  were  not  inclined  to  hostilities  to  stand  aside, 
as  we  had  no  wish  to  injure  our  friends. 

The  chiefs,  finding  themselves  in  the  minority 
as  regarded  fighting,  finally  consented  to  give  us  a 
mare  for  our  goods;  and  after  the  trade  was  made 
we  parted,  much  relieved  at  getting  rid  of  such 
ugly  customers. 

The  Utahs  had  been  in  company  with  us  for 
several  hours  and  had  often  separated  our  party. 
During  all  this  time  our  rifles  were  held  ready  for 
use,  not  knowing  at  what  moment  the  conflict 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  131 

might  commence.  Had  we  come  to  blows,  there  is 
no  doubt  that  we  should  have  been  instantly  over 
whelmed.  The  Delaware  had  kept  constantly 
aloof  from  the  party,  never  allowing  an  Indian  to 
get  behind  him;  and  although  he  silently,  but 
sullenly,  resisted  the  attempts  that  were  made  to 
snatch  his  rifle  from  his  grasp,  he  never  for  a 
moment  removed  his  eyes  from  the  old  chief,  but 
glared  at  him  with  a  ferocity  so  peculiar  that  it  was 
evident  that  feelings  even  stronger  than  any  that 
could  arise  from  his  present  proceedings  prompted 
the  Delaware's  ire  against  the  rascally  Utah.  Dick 
subsequently  told  us  that,  when  he  was  a  boy,  he 
had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  this  same  old  chief, 
who  had  been  urgent  to  put  him  to  death.  Dick 
had  nursed  his  revenge  with  an  Indian's  constancy, 
and,  upon  the  first  blow,  intended  to  send  a  rifle- 
ball  through  his  skull. 

Several  times  Felipe  warned  us  to  be  on  our 
guard,  as  the  attack  was  about  to  commence,  and 
Lieut.  Beale  directed  all  to  dismount  upon  the 
first  unequivocal  act  of  hostility,  to  stand  each 
man  behind  his  mule,  and  to  take  deliberate  aim 
before  firing. 

Travelling  down  Grand  River,  at  some  distance 
from  its  right  bank,  we  came  to  where  it  flowed 
through  a  canyon.  The  ground  on  either  side  of 
the  river  was  much  broken  by  ravines.  The  coun 
try,  about  a  mile  from  the  river,  was  barren  and 
level,  producing  nothing  but  wild  sage  and  prickly 
pear.  After  a  harassing  day  we  encamped  on  a 


132  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

rapid,  clear,  and  cool  brook,  with  good  pasturage 
on  its  banks,  called  in  the  Utah  language,  the 
Cerenoquinti;  it  issues  from  the  Pareamoot  Moun 
tains  and  flows  into  Grand  River.  Day's  travel, 
25  miles ;  whole  distance  from  Westport,  computed 
from  June  23,  976  miles. 

July  20.  Commenced  crossing  at  an  early  hour. 
The  boat  answered  admirably;  it  was  buoyant, 
easily  managed,  and  safe.  Before  sunset  most  of 
the  train  had  crossed,  and  the  Delaware  had  suc 
ceeded  in  swimming  the  mules  over,  by  following 
in  their  wake,  and  heading  off  those  that  tried  to 
turn  back.  It  took  us  longer  than  we  had  antici 
pated  to  get  our  effects  across,  as  it  was  necessary 
at  each  trip  to  tow  the  boat  some  distance  up  the 
right  bank,  in  order  to  make  our  encampment  on 
the  left,  without  drifting  below  it.  The  current 
was  very  rapid,  and  the  work  of  towing  the  boat  up 
through  the  bushes  which  overhung  the  stream 
very  laborious.  Some  of  the  Mexicans  and  a  few 
of  their  packs  were  carried  in  safety  to  the  left 
bank.  It  rained  heavily  during  the  afternoon 
and  we  passed  a  wet  night  under  blankets.  The 
camp  was  crowded  with  Indians,  who  were  anxious 
to  trade,  but  were  not  troublesome.  As  some  of 
them  passed  the  night  with  us,  we  allowed  our 
animals  to  run  with  theirs. 

Henry  Young  was  at  one  time  in  a  very  pre 
carious  position,  from  which  he  was  relieved  with 
difficulty.  One  of  the  mules  had  stubbornly  re 
sisted  every  effort  to  get  her  over,  and  had  finally 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  133 

made  a  landing  under  a  high  precipice  on  the  left 
shore,  from  which  it  was  impossible  to  dislodge 
her  without  going  into  the  water  and  swimming 
to  the  spot.  This  was  attempted  by  Young,  and 
as  the  current  here  swept  down  with  tremendous 
velocity,  he  was  on  the  point  of  drowning,  when 
fortunately  he  seized  a  rock,  upon  which  he  landed. 
It  was  now  dark,  the  rain  falling  fast,  and  to  have 
passed  the  night  in  this  situation  was  certain  de 
struction,  for  he  was  under  a  precipice,  and  in  front 
of  him  roared  the  Avonkarea.  No  one  knew  that 
he  had  gone  into  the  water,  and  we  were  not  aware 
of  his  distress  until  he  had  attracted  our  attention 
by  his  shouts  and  a  flash  of  lightning  revealed  him 
to  us.  The  boat  was  got  down  to  him  after  more 
than  an  hour's  work,  and  he  was  finally  brought 
into  camp  nearly  frozen. 

July  21.  The  remainder  of  the  packs  and  men 
crossed  in  the  morning,  and  the  day  was  consumed 
in  sending  the  rest  of  the  Mexicans  and  their  lug 
gage  to  the  opposite  side.  They  were  also  assisted 
in  crossing  over  their  animals.  These  men  re 
ported  that  they  had  been  badly  treated  by  the 
Mormons  at  the  Vegas  de  Santa  Clara,  and  that 
two  of  their  number  had  been  put  in  jail.  They 
warned  us  to  be  on  our  guard,  when  we  arrived 
in  Utah  Territory,  as  they  (the  Mormons)  had 
threatened  to  shoot  or  imprison  all  Americans 
passing  through  their  country.  Notwithstanding 
their  plausible  story,  the  Mexicans  only  impressed 
us  with  the  belief  that,  having  misbehaved,  they 


134  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

had  received  the  chastisement  they  deserved,  for 
it  was  well  known  to  us  that  the  Mormons  strictly 
prohibited  the  practice  of  the  natives  of  New 
Mexico  of  bartering  firearms  and  ammunition 
with  the  Indians  for  their  children. 

The  hides  were  removed  from  the  frame  of  the 
boat  and  reserved  for  future  use,  and  having  got 
our  animals  together  we  resumed  our  march  at 
7  P.M. 

July  24.  The  men  passed  a  refreshing  night, 
perfectly  free  from  the  mosquitoes,  which  had  been 
a  source  of  such  serious  annoyance  since  leaving 
the  settlements  in  New  Mexico.  Started  at  5  A.M. 
and,  travelling  thirty-five  miles,  encamped  on 
Green  River  Fork  of  the  Great  Colorado  at  i  P.M. 

The  country  we  traversed  was  stony  and  broken 
by  dry  watercourses.  On  every  side,  and  princi 
pally  to  the  north  and  northeast,  extended  ranges 
of  rugged  hills,  bare  of  vegetation,  and  seamed  with 
ravines.  On  their  summits  were  rocks  of  fantastic 
shapes,  resembling  pyramids,  obelisks,  churches, 
and  towers,  and  having  all  the  appearance  of  a 
vast  city  in  the  distance.  The  only  vegetation  was 
a  scanty  growth  of  stunted  wild  sage  and  cacti, 
except  at  a  point  known  as  the  Hole  in  the  Rock, 
where  there  were  willows  and  other  plants  denoting 
the  vicinity  of  water,  but  we  found  none  on  our 
route.  The  sun  was  exceedingly  hot,  and  we,  as 
well  as  our  mules,  were  glad  to  reach  the  river, 
where  we  could  relieve  our  thirst.  Saw  four  ante 
lopes  near  Green  River,  to  which  the  Delaware 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  135 

immediately  gave  chase,  but  was  unable  to  get 
within  gunshot. 

Green  River  was  broader  and  deeper  than  either 
Grand  River  or  the  Avonkarea,  but  its  current 
was  neither  so  rapid  nor  so  turbulent.  The  scen 
ery  on  its  banks  was  grand  and  solemn,  and  we  had 
an  excellent  view  of  it  from  our  camping-place  on  a 
high  bluff. 

The  frame  of  the  boat  was  commenced  at  once. 
Some  Indians  made  their  appearance  on  the  op 
posite  shore,  and  one  of  them  swam  over  to  our 
side,  assisted  by  a  log,  on  which  he  occasionally 
rested.  Day's  travel,  35  miles;  total  distance, 
1105  miles. 

July  25.  At  an  early  hour  the  men  resumed 
their  work  on  the  boat ;  the  hides  were  found  to  be 
rotten  and  full  of  holes,  as  we  had  neglected  to  dry 
them  after  crossing  the  Avonkarea;  but  by  dint  of 
patching  with  pieces  of  India-rubber  blankets  and 
sheepskins,  and  smearing  the  seams  with  a  mixture 
of  tallow,  flour,  soap,  and  pulverized  charcoal,  the 
boat  was  made  sufficiently  tight,  that,  with  con 
stant  bailing,  all  the  men  and  packs  were  carried 
over  in  four  trips.  I  went  with  the  first  load  to 
guard  our  packs,  as  Indians  were  on  the  left  bank 
watching  our  proceedings. 

Lieut.  Beale  made  great  exertions  to  hurry  the 
train  over  this  river.  He  went  across  at  every  trip, 
jumping  into  the  river  where  it  was  shallow,  and 
taking  the  boat  in  tow  until  he  was  beyond  his 
depth.  He  was  thus  for  many  hours  in  the  water, 


136  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

encouraging  the  men  by  his  example.  We  had 
now  an  excellent  party;  the  men  were  daring  and 
adroit;  they  exhibited  no  fear  when  we  were  so 
hard-pressed  by  the  Utahs,  and  when  exposure  or 
toil  was  required  of  them,  not  one  flinched  from  his 
duty.  Some  appeared  almost  to  rejoice  whenever 
there  was  a  difficulty  to  overcome,  and  we  never 
heard  the  Delaware's  wild  shout  and  laugh  without 
suspecting  that  either  he  or  his  mule  had  got  into 
some  predicament,  either  by  sliding  down  a  bank, 
or  getting  into  the  morass,  or  becoming  entangled 
in  a  jungle.  He  never  asked  for  help,  and  re 
jected  all  assistance,  relying  on  himself  in  every 
emergency. 

At  sunset,  the  crossing  of  the  Green  River  was 
effected,  and  we  gladly  gave  the  boat  to  the 
Indians,  who  ripped  it  to  pieces  to  make  moccasin 
soles  of  the  hides.  We  proceeded  a  mile  up  the 
stream,  and  encamped  in  the  midst  of  luxuriant 
grass.  A  band  of  twenty-five  mounted  Utahs 
accompanied  us  and  passed  the  night  in  our  camp ; 
we  gave  them  food,  and  they  seemed  quite 
friendly.  Their  accounts  of  the  Mormons  corrob 
orated  what  the  Indians  and  Mexicans  on  the 
Avonkarea  had  told  us.  Day's  travel,  i  mile; 
whole  distance,  1 106  miles. 

July  28.  Travelled  twenty  miles  south  by  west, 
and  halted  at  noon  on  the  Rio  del  Moro  (Castle 
Creek,  so  called  on  account  of  buttes  near  it 
resembling  fortifications) .  In  ten  miles  from  the 
San  Rafael,  crossed  a  broad  brook  of  clear  and  cool 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  137 

water,  running  into  Green  River.  Between  the 
streams  vegetation  was  scanty  and  stunted,  and 
the  soil  clayey,  dry,  and  barren;  to  the  westward 
were  steep  hills,  beyond  which  could  be  seen  the 
green  and  wooded  slopes  of  the  Sahwatch  range. 

Noticed  fresh  tracks  of  animals  going  north, 
evidently  those  of  cattle  stolen  by  Indians  from 
the  Mormons. 

Our  noon  camp  was  near  the  point  where  Moro 
Creek  issued  from  the  mountains.  The  clayey  soil 
of  which  they  are  composed  had  been  washed  by 
rains  into  the  strangest  shapes.  At  times,  long 
lines  of  battlements  presented  themselves;  at 
others,  immense  Gothic  cathedrals,  with  all  their 
quaint  pinnacles  and  turrets,  which  reminded  us 
of  the  ruined  castles  and  churches  that  we  had 
seen  in  our  travels  in  the  old  world.  The  different 
colors  of  the  clay  added  to  the  singularity  of  the 
scenery,  and  strengthened  the  resemblance. 

July  29.  We  encamped  for  the  night,  on  the 
Salado,  in  a  broad  and  level  valley.  Throughout 
the  mountains  the  pasturage  reminded  us  of  that 
in  the  Sahwatch  range,  although  in  the  valley  it 
was  less  luxuriant. 

Soon  after  guard  was  set  for  the  night,  an 
attempt  was  made  by  Indians  to  stampede  our 
animals.  The  watchfulness  of  the  man  on  guard, 
however,  defeated  their  purpose;  he  fired,  but 
missed  them.  One  of  the  mules  was  slightly 
wounded  by  an  arrow.  Day's  travel,  30  miles; 
whole  distance,  1222  miles. 


138  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

August  2.  We  were  now  approaching  another 
stage  in  our  journey  which  we  were  impatient  to 
reach.  The  Mormon  settlements  near  Las  Vegas 
de  Santa  Clara  were  at  a  short  distance,  and  we 
made  an  early  start  in  the  hope  of  reaching  them 
before  dark.  We  descended  the  mountains  in  a 
westerly  direction  through  an  abundantly  watered 
valley,  everywhere  covered  with  grass.  I  found 
wild  rye  growing  in  great  abundance,  the  seed  quite 
large  and  full. 

At  dusk,  on  the  previous  day,  we  had  discovered 
a  party  of  mounted  Indians  examining  us  from  a 
neighboring  ridge,  and  were  on  the  lookout  for 
them  all  the  morning.  Soon  after  sunrise  a  few 
Pah-Utahs,  the  first  of  that  tribe  which  we  had 
seen,  came  running  down  a  hillside  to  meet  us,  and 
accosting  us  in  a  friendly  manner,  asked  whether 
we  were  Mormons  or  ' '  Swaps ' '  (Americans) .  They 
informed  us  that  a  Mormon  village  was  not  far  off, 
and  Mr.  Beale  and  I,  riding  in  advance  of  our 
party,  in  a  few  hours  arrived  at  the  town  of  Para- 
goona,  in  Little  Salt  Lake  Valley,  near  Las  Vegas 
de  vSanta  Clara. 

Paragoona  is  situated  in  the  valley  of  the  Little 
Salt  Lake  and  lies  near  the  foot  of  the  mountains 
which  form  its  eastern  boundary,  at  four  miles 
from  the  lake.  It  contains  about  thirty  houses, 
which,  although  built  of  adobes,  present  a  neat  and 
comfortable  appearance.  The  adobes  are  small 
and  well  pressed,  and  are  made  of  a  pink-colored 
clay.  The  houses  are  built  to  form  a  quadrangle, 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  139 

the  spaces  between  them  being  protected  by  a 
strong  stockade  of  pine  pickets.  Outside  of  the 
village  is  an  area  of  fifty  acres  inclosed  within  a 
single  fence,  and  cultivated  in  common  by  the 
inhabitants.  It  is  called  The  Field  and  a  stream 
from  the  Sah watch  Mountains  irrigates  it,  after 
supplying  the  town  with  water. 

The  Mormons  have  found  iron  ore  in  the 
mountains,  where  they  have  established  several 
smelting  furnaces;  they  stated  that  it  was  of 
an  excellent  quality,  and  that  the  mines  were 
inexhaustible. 

vShortly  before  our  arrival  in  the  Territory,  hos 
tilities  had  broken  out  between  Walkah,  a  Utah 
chief,  and  the  Mormons,  and  we  found  them  in  a 
state  of  great  alarm  and  excitement  in  consequence 
of  some  of  his  recent  acts. 

We  did  not  remain  long  at  Paragoona;  for  soon 
after  our  arrival  the  inhabitants,  in  obedience  to  a 
mandate  from  Governor  Brigham  Young,  com 
menced  removing  to  the  town  of  Parawan,  four 
miles  to  the  southward,  as  he  considered  it  unsafe, 
with  the  smallness  of  their  number,  for  them  to 
remain  at  Paragoona.  It  was  to  us  a  strange  sight 
to  witness  the  alacrity  with  which  these  people 
obeyed  an  order  which  compelled  them  to  destroy 
in  an  instant  the  fruits  of  two  years'  labor;  and 
no  time  was  lost  in  commencing  the  work  of 
destruction.  Their  houses  were  demolished,  the 
doors,  windows,  and  all  portable  woodwork  being 
reserved  for  future  dwellings;  and  wagons  were 


140  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

soon  on  the  road  to  Parawan,  loaded  with  their 
furniture  and  other  property. 

We  left  Paragoona  in  the  afternoon,  and  rode 
to  Parawan  over  an  excellent  wagon-road,  made 
and  kept  in  repair,  and  bridged  in  many  places,  by 
the  Mormons.  We  passed,  at  a  mile  on  our  left,  a 
large  grist  and  sawmill  worked  by  water  power. 

This  ride  to  Parawan  formed  a  strange  contrast 
to  our  late  journeying  through  the  wilderness. 
At  all  the  cross-roads  were  finger-posts,  and  mile 
stones  measured  the  distances. 

Parawan  is  situated  at  the  base  of  the  moun 
tains,  and  contains  about  one  hundred  houses, 
built  in  a  square  and  facing  inwards.  In  their 
rear,  and  outside  of  the  town,  are  vegetable  gar 
dens,  each  dwelling  having  a  lot  running  back  about 
one  hundred  yards.  By  an  excellent  system  of 
irrigation,  water  is  brought  to  the  front  and  rear  of 
each  house,  and  through  the  centre  and  outside 
boundary  of  each  garden  lot.  The  houses  are 
ornamented  in  front  with  small  flower-gardens, 
which  are  fenced  off  from  the  square,  and  shaded 
with  trees.  The  Field  covers  about  four  hundred 
acres,  and  was  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  the 
wheat  and  corn  being  as  fine  as  any  that  we  had 
seen  in  the  States ;  the  people  took  a  laudable  pride 
in  showing  us  what  they  had  accomplished  in  so 
short  a  time,  and  against  so  many  obstacles.  Day's 
travel,  32  miles;  whole  distance,  1345  miles. 

August  3.  Most  of  the  day  was  spent  in  having 
the  animals  shod,  and  in  getting  extra  shoes  made 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  141 

to  replace  those  which  might  be  lost  in  crossing  the 
desert  region  between  the  Vegas  de  Santa  Clara 
and  Mohaveh  River.  An  American  blacksmith 
assisted  by  a  couple  of  Pah-Utah  youths  did  this 
work,  and  we  were  surprised  to  see  what  skilful 
workmen  these  Indians  made.  Most  of  the  Mor 
mon  families  have  one  or  more  Pah-Utah  children, 
whom  they  had  bought  from  their  parents;  they 
were  treated  with  kindness,  and  even  tenderness; 
were  taught  to  call  their  protectors  "father"  and 
" mother"  and  instructed  in  the  rudiments  of 
education.  The  Mormon  rulers  encourage  a  sys 
tem  which  ameliorates  the  condition  of  these  chil 
dren  by  removing  them  from  the  influence  of  their 
savage  parents,  but  their  laws  forbid  their  being 
taken  out  of  the  Territory.  The  children  are  not 
interdicted  from  intercourse  with  their  people, 
who  are  allowed  freely  to  enter  the  town;  but  the 
latter  evince  very  little  interest  in  their  offspring, 
for  having  sold  them  to  the  whites,  they  no  longer 
consider  them  their  kith  or  kin. 

The  water  of  Little  Salt  Lake  is  as  briny,  we 
were  told,  as  that  of  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  we 
noticed  that  its  shores  were  covered  with  saline 
incrustations  for  a  mile  or  more  from  the  water's 
edge;  but  the  Mormons  stated  that  the  salt  was 
of  little  value,  being  impregnated  with  saleratus 
and  other  alkaline  matter,  which  rendered  it  unfit 
for  use.  They  obtain  their  supplies  of  this  article 
from  mines  of  rock-salt  in  the  mountains. 

The  excitement  occasioned  by  the  threats  of 


142  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Walkah,  the  Utah  chief,  continued  to  increase  dur 
ing  the  day  we  spent  at  Parawan.  Families 
flocked  in  from  Paragoona,  and  other  small  settle 
ments  and  farms,  bringing  with  them  their  mova 
bles,  and  their  flocks  and  herds.  Parties  of 
mounted  men,  well  armed,  patrolled  the  country; 
expresses  came  in  from  different  quarters,  bringing 
accounts  of  attacks  by  the  Indians,  on  small  parties 
and  unprotected  farms  and  houses.  During  our 
stay,  Walkah  sent  in  a  polite  message  to  Colonel 
G.  A.  Smith,  who  had  military  command  of  the 
district,  and  governed  it  by  martial  law,  telling 
him  that,  "The  Mormons  were  d — d  fools  for 
abandoning  their  houses  and  towns,  for  he  did  not 
intend  to  molest  them  there,  as  it  was  his  intention 
to  confine  his  depredations  to  their  cattle,  and  that 
he  advised  them  to  return  and  mind  their  crops,  for, 
if  they  neglected  them,  they  would  starve,  and  be 
obliged  to  leave  the  country,  which  was  not  what 
he  desired,  for  then  there  would  be  no  cattle  for 
him  to  take."  He  ended  by  declaring  war  for 
four  years.  This  message  did  not  tend  to  allay 
the  fears  of  the  Mormons,  who,  in  this  district, 
were  mostly  foreigners,  and  stood  in  great  awe  of 
Indians. 

The  Utah  chieftain  who  occasioned  all  this  panic 
and  excitement  is  a  man  of  great  subtlety  and 
indomitable  energy.  He  is  not  a  Utah  by  birth, 
but  has  acquired  such  an  extraordinary  ascendency 
over  that  tribe  by  his  daring  exploits,  that  all  the 
restless  spirits  and  ambitious  young  warriors  in  it 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  143 

have  joined  his  standard.  Having  an  unlimited 
supply  of  fine  horses,  and  being  inured  to  every 
fatigue  and  privation,  he  keeps  the  territories  of 
New  Mexico  and  Utah,  the  provinces  of  Chihuahua 
and  Sonora,  and  the  southern  portion  of  California 
in  constant  alarm.  His  movements  are  so  rapid, 
and  his  plans  so  skilfully  and  so  secretly  laid,  that 
he  has  never  once  failed  in  any  enterprise  and  has 
scarcely  disappeared  from  one  district  before  he  is 
heard  of  in  another.  He  frequently  divides  his 
men  into  two  or  more  bands,  which  making  their 
appearance  at  different  points  at  the  same  time, 
each  headed,  it  is  given  out,  by  the  dreaded  Walkah 
in  person,  has  given  him,  with  the  ignorant  Mexi 
cans,  the  attribute  of  ubiquity.  The  principal 
object  of  his  forays  is  to  drive  off  horses  and  cattle, 
but  more  particularly  the  first;  and  among  the 
Utahs  we  noticed  horses  with  brands  familiar  to 
us  in  New  Mexico  and  California. 

He  has  adopted  the  name  of  Walker  (corrupted 
to  Walkah)  on  account  of  the  close  intimacy  and 
friendship  which  in  former  days  united  him  to  Joe 
Walker,  an  old  mountaineer,  and  the  same  who 
discovered  Walker's  Pass  in  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

This  chief  had  a  brother  as  valiant  and  crafty 
as  himself  to  whom  he  was  greatly  attached.  Both 
speaking  Spanish  and  broken  English  they  were 
enabled  to  maintain  intercourse  with  the  whites 
without  the  aid  of  an  interpreter.  This  brother 
the  Mormons  thought  they  had  killed,  for,  having 
repelled  a  night  attack  on  a  mill,  which  was  led  by 


144  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

him,  on  the  next  morning  they  found  a  rifle  and 
a  hatchet  which  they  recognized  as  his,  and  also 
traces  of  blood  and  tracks  of  men  apparently  carry 
ing  a  heavy  body.  Although  rejoicing  at  the  death 
of  one  of  their  most  implacable  enemies,  the  Mor 
mons  dreaded  the  wrath  of  the  great  chieftain, 
which  they  felt  would  not  be  appeased  until  he 
had  avenged  his  brother's  blood  in  their  own.  The 
Mormons  were  surprised  at  our  having  passed  in 
safety  through  Walkah's  territory,  and  they  did 
not  know  to  what  they  were  to  attribute  our  escape 
from  destruction.  They  told  us  that  the  cattle 
tracks  which  we  had  seen  a  few  days  previous  were 
those  of  a  portion  of  a  large  drove  lifted  by  Walkah, 
and  that  the  mounted  men  we  had  noticed  in  the 
mountains  in  the  evening  of  August  ist  were  scouts 
sent  out  by  him  to  watch  our  movements.  They 
endeavored  to  dissuade  us  from  prosecuting  our 
journey,  for  they  stated  that  it  was  unsafe  to  travel 
even  between  their  towns  without  an  escort  of 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  men. 

The  Mormons  had  published  a  reward  of  fifteen 
thousand  dollars  for  Walkah's  head,  but  it  was  a 
serious  question  among  them  who  should  "bell 
the  cat." 

We  procured  at  Parawan  a  small  supply  of  flour 
and  some  beef,  which  we  buccanee'd. 

The  kind  reception  that  we  received  from  the 
inhabitants  of  these  settlements,  during  our  short 
sojourn  among  them,  strongly  contrasted  with 
what  we  had  been  led  to  anticipate  from  the  reports 


On  the  Verge  of  Hostilities  145 

of  the  Mexicans  and  Indians  whom  we  had  met  on 
the  road.  On  our  arrival,  Colonel  G.  A.  Smith 
sent  an  officer  to  inquire  who  we  were,  our  business, 
destination,  etc.,  at  the  same  time  apologizing  for 
the  inquiries,  by  stating  that  the  disturbed  con 
dition  of  the  country  rendered  it  necessary  to 
exercise  a  strict  vigilance  over  all  strangers,  par 
ticularly  over  those  who  came  from  the  direction 
of  their  enemy's  territory. 

Mr.  Beale's  replies  being,  of  course,  satisfactory, 
we  were  treated  as  friends,  and  received  every  mark 
of  cordiality.  We  spent  the  evening  of  our  arrival 
in  Parawan  at  the  house  of  Col.  Smith,  who  was  in 
command  of  this  portion  of  the  territory,  and  was 
organizing  a  military  force  for  its  protection.  He 
related  to  us  the  origin  of  these  southern  settle 
ments,  the  many  difficulties  and  hardships  that 
they  had  to  contend  with,  and  gave  us  much  inter 
esting  information  concerning  the  geography  of  the 
surrounding  country.  He  also  stated  that  fur 
naces  for  smelting  iron  ore  were  already  in  opera 
tion  in  the  vicinity  of  Paragoona  and  Parawan, 
and  that  the  metal,  which  was  obtained  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  supply  any  demand,  was  also  of  an 
excellent  quality;  and  that  veins  of  coal  had  been 
found  near  Cedar  City,  on  Coal  Creek,  eighteen 
miles  south  of  Parawan,  one  of  which  was  fifteen 
feet  in  thickness,  and  apparently  inexhaustible. 
A  large  force  of  English  miners  were  employed  in1 
working  these  mines,  and  pronounced  the  coal  to 
be  equal  to  the  best  English  coal.  I  saw  it  used  in 


146  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  forges;  it  is  bituminous  and  burns  with  a 
bright  flame. 

As  regards  the  odious  practice  of  polygamy 
which  these  people  have  engrafted  on  their  religion, 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  we  could  learn  much 
about  it  during  our  short  stay,  and  its  existence 
would  even  have  been  unobserved  by  us,  had  not 
a  "  saint "  voluntarily  informed  us  that  he  was 
"one  of  those  Mormons  who  believed  in  a  plural 
ity  of  wives/'  and  added,  "for  my  part  I  have 
six,  and  this  is  one  of  them,"  pointing  to  a  female 
who  was  present.  Taking  this  subject  for  his  text, 
he  delivered  a  discourse  highly  eulogistic  of  the 
institution  of  marriage,  as  seen  from  the  Mormon 
point  of  view.  He  spoke  of  the  antiquity  of 
polygamy,  its  advantages,  the  evils  it  prevents, 
quoting  the  example  of  the  patriarchs,  and  of 
eastern  nations,  and  backing  his  argument  with 
statistics  of  the  relative  number  of  males  and 
females  born,  obtained  no  doubt  from  the  same 
source  as  the  Book  of  Mormon.  This  discourse 
did  not  increase  our  respect  for  the  tenets  he  ad 
vocated,  but  we  deemed  it  useless  to  engage  in 
a  controversy  with  one  who  made  use  of  such 
sophistry.  From  what  he  said,  I  inferred  that  a 
large  number  of  Mormons  do  not  entirely  approve 
of  the  "spiritual  wife"  system,  and  judging  from 
some  of  the  households,  it  was  evident  that  the 
weaker  vessel  has  in  many  instances  here,  as  else 
where,  the  control  of  the  menage. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  DESERT  JOURNEY 

The  Mormon  Wagon  Trail — Joy  of  the  Pah-Utahs — 
Famous  Horse  Thieves— The  Traffic  in  Children— Rio 
de  la  Virgen — The  first  Jornada — Muddy  Creek  and 
the  Spring  of  Gaetan— Pah-Utah  Billingsgate — The 
End  of  a  Mormon  Explorer — The  Second  Jornada— 
Twenty  Hours  without  Water — The  Oasis  of  Tio  Meso 
— The  Mohaveh  River — The  Valley  of  the  Santa  Ana — 
San  Bernardino  Mountain — The  Settlements  and  Los 
Angeles — Benton's  Letters  and  Congratulations. 

WE  left  Parawan  at  dusk,  having  sent  most 
of  the  party  in  advance  with  directions 
to  await  our  arrival  at  the  nearest  of 
those  rich  meadows  known  as  Las  Vegas  de  Santa 
Clara,  about  eighteen  miles  distant. 

August  4.  We  now  travelled  on  the  Mormon 
wagon-trail  leading  to  San  Bernardino,  in  the  south 
of  California.  We  had  heard  of  another  route 
leading  west  to  Owen's  River,  thence  through  a 
pass  in  the  Sierra  Nevada,  which  leads  into  the 
Tulare  Valley  near  the  head  of  the  Four  Creeks; 
but  unfortunately  we  were  unable  to  take  this 
route,  for  we  could  neither  obtain  a  guide  nor  even 

147 


148  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

information  on  the  subject;  moreover,  it  would 
have  been  departing  from  his  plan,  of  examining 
the  country  on  the  Mohaveh,  for  the  purpose  of 
locating  Indians  there,  for  Lieut.  Beale  to  have 
altered  his  course.  The  route  by  Owen's  River 
shortens  the  distance  nearly  two  hundred  miles, 
cutting  off  the  large  elbow  to  the  southwest,  and 
according  to  the  accounts  we  had  received  it  con 
ducts  over  a  tolerably  level,  well- watered,  and 
grassy  country. 

August  6.  The  Santa  Clara  at  our  encampment 
was  a  slender  rill;  but  a  few  miles  lower  down  its 
volume  was  considerably  increased  by  the  accession 
of  several  streams. 

We  were  now  approaching  the  desert,  and  we  this 
day  travelled  only  ten  miles,  to  allow  our  animals 
to  recruit  by  rest  and  food.  The  road  followed 
down  the  stream,  and  although  level,  was  much 
overgrown  with  bushes. 

After  travelling  a  few  miles,  we  met  a  small  party 
of  Pah-Utah  Indians,  who  evinced  great  joy  at 
seeing  us,  accosting  us  without  fear.  On  approach 
ing  their  village,  a  collection  of  miserable  bush  huts, 
we  were  met  by  an  aged  Indian,  apparently  their 
chief,  holding  in  his  hand  a  pipe  the  stem  of  which 
was  a  reed  and  the  bowl  a  piece  of  tin.  With  much 
gravity,  he  bade  us  welcome  to  his  village,  and 
after  blowing  three  wreaths  of  smoke  toward  the 
sun,  he  offered  us  their  symbol  of  friendship,  with 
which  we  imitated  his  example.  As  soon  as  we 
had  dismounted,  a  venerable  squaw,  laboring  under 


The  Desert  Journey  149 

great  excitement,  rushed  towards  Lieut.  Beale, 
and  seizing  his  hands,  forced  into  them  a  couple 
of  green  tunias  (prickly  pears)  which  she  invited 
him  to  eat,  a  ceremony,  I  have  no  doubt,  having 
a  meaning  as  mystical  as  the  first.  And  having 
thus  entered  into  bonds  to  keep  the  peace  and 
complied  with  all  the  exigencies  of  etiquette,  we 
were  considered  the  guests  of  the  nation. 

Among  these  Indians  we  witnessed  one  of  the 
benefits  which  they  have  derived  from  their  inter 
course  with  the  Mormons,  who  take  every  oppor 
tunity  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  this  wretched 
tribe.  Near  their  village  was  a  large  and  well- 
irrigated  field,  cultivated  with  care,  and  planted 
with  corn,  pumpkins,  squashes,  and  melons. 

The  Pah-Utah  Indians  are  the  greatest  horse 
thieves  on  the  continent.  Rarely  attempting  the 
bold  coups-de-main  of  the  Utahs,  they  dog  travel 
lers  during  their  march  and  follow  on  their  trail 
like  jackals,  cutting  off  any  stragglers  whom  they 
can  surprise  and  overpower,  and  pick  up  such 
animals  as  stray  from  the  band  or  lag  behind  from 
fatigue.  At  night,  lurking  around  the  camp,  and 
concealing  themselves  behind  rocks  and  bushes, 
they  communicate  with  each  other  by  imitating 
the  sounds  of  birds  and  animals.  They  never 
ride,  but  use  as  food  the  horses  and  mules  that  they 
steal,  and,  if  within  arrow-shot  of  one  of  these 
animals,  a  poisoned  shaft  secures  him  as  their 
prize.  Their  arms  are  bows  and  arrows  tipped 
with  obsidian,  and  lances  sometimes  pointed  with 


150  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

iron,  which  they  obtain  from  the  wrecks  of  wagons 
found  along  the  road;  they  also  used  a  pronged 
stick  to  drag  lizards  from  their  holes. 

The  Indians  being  apprehensive  that  our  animals 
might  trespass  on  their  field,  which  was  without 
inclosure,  we  permitted  them  to  drive  the  band 
several  miles  up  the  stream,  where  we  had  noticed 
an  abundance  of  white  clover;  and,  whilst  thus 
confiding  in  them,  we  had  security  for  their  honesty 
by  several  Indians  passing  the  night  in  our  camp, 
where  they  lay  near  the  fire,  coiled  up  like  dogs; 
besides  which  their  women  and  children,  and  entire 
crops,  on  which  they  depended  for  their  subsistence 
during  the  approaching  winter,  were  also  in  our 
power. 

In  the  afternoon  we  visited  their  huts,  which 
presented  a  squalid  scene  of  dirt  and  wretchedness. 
When  the  women  saw  us  approaching  they  con 
cealed  their  children,  fearing  that  we  might  wish 
to  carry  them  off.  Noticing  that  something  moved 
under  a  large  wicker  basket,  one  of  us  examined 
its  contents,  which  were  found  to  be  a  little  naked 
fellow,  his  teeth  chattering  with  fear. 

Yearly  expeditions  are  fitted  out  in  New  Mexico 
to  trade  with  the  Pah-Utahs  for  their  children, 
and  recourse  is  often  had  to  foul  means  to  force 
their  parents  to  part  with  them.  So  common  is  it 
to  make  a  raid  for  this  purpose,  that  it  is  considered 
as  no  more  objectionable  than  to  go  on  a  buffalo  or 
a  mustang  hunt.  One  of  our  men,  Jose  Gallengo, 
who  was  an  old  hand  at  this  species  of  man-hunting, 


The  Desert  Journey  151 

related  to  us,  with  evident  gusto,  numerous  anec 
dotes  on  this  subject;  and  as  we  approached  the 
village,  he  rode  up  to  Lieut.  Beale,  and  eagerly  pro 
posed  to  him  that  we  should  "charge  on  it  like 
h-1,  kill  the  mans  and  maybe  catch  some  of  the 
little  boys  and  gals.11 

Camp  was  all  day  crowded  with  men  and  squaws ; 
the  former  had  reduced  their  costume  to  first 
principles,  and  even  the  latter  were  attired  in  a 
style  of  the  most  primitive  simplicity.  They  spoke 
with  great  volubility  and  vehemence,  using  many 
gesticulations,  regardless  of  the  common  usage  of 
other  Indians,  of  speaking  but  one  at  a  time.  It 
appeared  as  though  they  thought  aloud,  and  were 
not  addressing  any  one  in  particular.  Our  ragged 
and  forlorn  appearance,  unshaven  chins,  and  sun- 
scarred  visages  excited  great  merriment,  and  they 
used  no  ceremony  in  pointing  and  laughing  at  us. 
Day's  travel,  10  miles;  whole  distance,  1439  miles. 

August  7.  The  Indians  drove  our  animals  into 
camp  before  dawn,  and  we  were  on  the  road  at 
sunrise,  travelling  down  the  Santa  Clara.  In  ten 
miles  the  road  diverged  to  the  right  from  the  creek, 
and  for  eight  miles  passed  through  a  region  of 
rugged  and  arid  hills  and  canyons,  when  it  issued 
upon  an  inclined  plane  leading  to  the  Rio  de  la 
Virgen.  Although  generally  level,  it  was  a  rough 
road  for  wagons,  and  with  the  exception  of  one  good 
spring,  four  miles  from  the  Santa  Clara,  we  saw  no 
water  until  we  encamped  on  the  Virgen.  A  scanty 
growth  of  cactus,  Agave  americana,  grease  wood, 


152  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

and  small  cedars,  was  the  only  vegetation  after 
leaving  the  creek.  A  Pah-Utah  handed  me  some 
ears  of  wheat,  the  grains  of  which  I  preserved,  and 
he  stated  that  it  grows  spontaneously  near  the 
Santa  Clara.  It  is  from  this  stock  that  the  New 
Mexicans  have  obtained  the  seed  which  they  call 
Payute  wheat,  and  the  Mormons,  Taos  wheat. 
It  has  been  much  improved  by  cultivation,  and  is 
considered  the  best  in  New  Mexico  and  Utah.  A 
party  of  Indians  accompanied  us  for  twelve  miles, 
begging  for  tabac,  and  we  noticed  several  smokes 
during  the  day,  and  fires  after  dark,  made  by  the 
natives  on  the  Virgen,  to  warn  the  country  of  our 
approach.  We  set  double  guard  at  night,  and  the 
mules  evinced  by  their  restlessness  and  uneasiness 
the  vicinity  of  Pah-Utahs.  Day's  travel,  35  miles ; 
whole  distance,  1474  miles. 

August  8.  The  Rio  de  la  Virgen  is  a  turbid  and 
shallow  stream,  about  twelve  yards  in  breadth. 
It  flows  with  a  rapid  current  over  a  sandy  bed,  and 
as  we  descended  it,  the  growth  of  cottonwood  gave 
place  to  mesquit  trees  and  willows.  The  mesquit 
tree  bears  in  some  localities  an  abundance  of  sweet 
pods,  on  which  mules  feed  greedily,  and  they  are 
a  good  substitute  for  corn,  being  almost  as  nutri 
tious.  We  crossed  scanty  patches  of  wiry  salt 
grass,  which  affords  but  little  nourishment. 

The  river  bottom  was  hemmed  in  by  bluffs, 
beyond  which,  on  the  right,  was  an  extensive  plain 
much  cut  up  by  gullies,  and  on  the  left  a  range  of 
dark  mountains,  which  in  many  places  came  down 


The  Desert  Journey  153 

to  the  river's  edge.  The  road  which  followed  down 
the  bottom  was  at  times  through  deep  sand,  as 
was  mostly  the  case  since  leaving  the  Vegas  de 
Santa  Clara.  The  scenery  was  gloomy  and  for 
bidding,  and  gave  indication  that  we  were  ap 
proaching  a  wild  and  desolate  region.  We  noticed 
during  the  day  many  fresh  Indian  tracks,  and  at 
times  caught  glimpses  of  dark  forms  gliding 
through  the  bushes  on  either  side.  Day's  march, 
29  miles;  whole  distance,  1503  miles. 

August  9.  By  keeping  a  watchful  guard,  our 
animals  were  saved  from  the  Pah-Utahs,  who 
hovered  around  us  all  night. 

We  rode  down  the  Virgen  ten  miles  farther, 
when  we  left  it  to  cross  the  hot  and  sterile  plain, 
eight  miles  broad,  extending  between  the  Virgen 
and  the  Rio  Atascoso  (Muddy  Creek).  It  was 
thickly  covered  with  sharp  flints,  and  bore  a  scanty 
growth  of  stunted  mesquit  bushes,  which  on  the 
dry  plains  bear  few  pods ;  for  a  couple  of  miles  from 
each  stream  the  country  was  much  broken  by 
ravines. 

Rio  Atascoso  is  a  narrow  stream,  but  in  many 
places  quite  deep;  its  water  is  clear,  and  it  derives 
its  name  from  the  slimy  and  miry  nature  of  its 
banks  and  bed.  Day's  march,  18  miles;  whole 
distance,  1521  miles. 

August  10.  We  again  had  Indians  around  us 
all  night,  making  their  usual  signals,  but  by  keeping 
a  strict  double  guard  they  were  prevented  from 
stealing  or  wounding  our  animals.  Soon  after 


154  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

sunrise,  a  party  of  Pah-Utahs  showed  their  heads 
from  behind  some  rocks  near  camp,  and  shouted 
to  us;  finding  that  we  did  not  attempt  to  molest 
them,  they  cautiously  exposed  more  of  their  per 
sons,  and  finally  dropped  among  us  by  twos  and 
threes,  until  they  numbered  fifteen.  They  pro 
fessed  entire  innocence  of  being  concerned  in  the 
proceedings  of  the  previous  night,  laying  them  all  to 
the  charge  of  other  Pah-Utahs  and  expressed  for 
us  the  warmest  attachment. 

At  this  time  a  strange  figure,  entirely  divested  of 
clothing,  suddenly  made  his  appearance  on  the 
summit  of  a  rock  thirty  yards  from  us ;  his  face  was 
covered  with  a  thick  coating  of  crimson  paint;  a 
slender  bone,  eight  inches  in  length,  was  thrust 
through  the  septum  of  his  nose,  and  in  his  left 
hand  he  carried  a  bow  and  a  bunch  of  arrows. 
This  worthy  addressed  us  a  long  speech,  intro 
ducing  himself  as  the  great  chief  of  all  the  Pah- 
Utahs  (which  was  false,  as  they  recognize  no  chief), 
intimating  that  the  monotonous  existence  which 
he  had  hitherto  been  leading  had  become  irksome 
to  him,  that  he  wished  to  travel  and  see  the  white 
man's  world,  and  that,  if  we  consented  to  admit 
him  into  our  company,  he  would  endeavor  to 
"make  himself  generally  useful."  He  ended  by 
offering  to  give  himself  away  to  any  one  who  would 
accept  of  him.  Although  any  accession  to  our 
number  was  not  at  all  desirable,  to  have  refused  his 
request  would  have  nipped  in  the  bud  the  aspira 
tions  of  this  ambitious  youth.  Lieut.  Beale  there- 


The  Desert  Journey  155 

fore  allowed  him  to  join  our  party,  handed  him  a 
pair  of  old  buckskin  pants  and  a  woollen  shirt, 
which  he  at  once  donned,  feeling  very  proud  but 
very  uncomfortable. 

The  first  Jornada  (long  distance  between  water) 
across  the  desert  commences  at  the  Muddy;  and 
to  avoid  the  heat,  which  at  this  season  is  very 
oppressive  during  the  day,  we  did  not  resume  our 
journey  until  afternoon.  The  road  led  us  for  six 
miles  up  a  broad  and  sandy  ravine,  issuing  from 
which  we  entered  upon  an  extensive  and  undulating 
plain,  whose  sandy  and  stony  soil  produced  no 
vegetation  except  artemisia.  We  travelled  all 
night,  during  which  a  hot  wind  blew  from  the 
southward. 

August  1 1 .  Dawn  found  us  still  on  the  Jornada, 
between  Muddy  Creek  and  the  Ojo  del  Gaetan 
(Spring  of  Gaetan),  or  Vega  Quintana  as  this 
meadow  is  sometimes  called,  which  we  reached  at 
8  A.M.  without  loss  of  an  animal.  Thus  far  we  had 
lost  three  mules;  one  was  drowned  in  the  Uncom- 
pagre,  another  was  left  on  the  Virgen,  and  the  third 
at  the  Muddy.  Both  of  the  latter  were  animals 
that  we  had  obtained  on  the  journey,  and  being 
unshod,  became  "tender-footed"  and  were  unable 
to  keep  up  with  the  train. 

The  Vega  Quintana  is  a  meadow  of  several 
thousand  acres  in  extent,  watered  through  its 
centre  by  two  deep  but  narrow  streams  of  clear  and 
icy  cold  water.  It  is  shaded  in  many  places  with 
mesquit  trees,  willows,  and  vines  covered  with 


156  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

clusters  of  small  but  sweet  grapes.  Two  Pah- 
Utahs,  who  were  gathering  mesquit  beans,  fled  in 
alarm  at  our  approach,  and  we  saw  numerous 
coveys  of  the  California  partridge.  This  oasis 
deserves  the  name  of  The  Diamond  of  the  Desert, 
so  beautiful  and  bright  does  it  appear  in  the  centre 
of  the  dreary  waste  that  surrounds  it.  Dusty  and 
weary  as  we  were,  after  our  long  and  toilsome  ride, 
a  bath  in  the  brook  was  a  luxury  in  which  we 
indulged  more  than  once  during  the  day  that  we 
spent  here.  Day's  march,  45  miles ;  whole  distance, 
1566  miles. 

August  13.  Wearied  with  watching  all  night, 
we  resumed  our  journey  at  dawn.  Indians  were 
around  us  as  usual,  and  any  signs  of  their  vicinity, 
which  would  have  escaped  our  notice,  were  pointed 
out  to  us  by  "Pite"  as  we  had  christened  our  new 
follower.  We  had  scarcely  started,  before  a 
torrent  of  yells  and  abuse  were  poured  upon  us  from 
every  side.  No  one  could  be  perceived,  but  every 
rock  and  bush  apparently  concealed  an  Indian. 
"Pite"  was  not  slow  in  replying  to  them,  and  for 
a  moment  they  were  silent  with  astonishment  at 
receiving  in  such  pure  vernacular  a  reply  to  their 
insults.  Soon,  however,  the  war  of  words  was 
renewed  with  fresh  fury,  and  had  we  understood 
them,  we  should  doubtless  have  enjoyed  a  very 
choice  specimen  of  Pah-Utah  billingsgate.  "Pite" 
prudently  kept  close  among  us;  brave  as  he  was 
with  his  tongue,  he  entertained  fear  of  falling 
into  the  hands  of  his  fellow  countrymen,  for 


The  Desert  Journey  157 

they  would  soon  have  brought  his  travels  to  a 
close. 

Our  road  led  us  through  a  canyon  or  chasm  which 
we  had  entered  the  previous  day;  it  followed  the 
bed  of  the  stream,  and  was  much  obstructed  by 
heavy  sand  and  scattered  rocks.  We  passed  two 
singular  caves,  one  of  which  presented  a  close 
resemblance  to  the  Cyclopean  order  of  architecture, 
with  the  principle  of  the  arch  and  keystone  ad 
mirably  preserved.  The  other  forcibly  reminded  us 
of  the  fagade  of  an  old  Catholic  church,  such  as  is 
often  seen  in  Italy. 

After  travelling  ten  miles  through  rocky  ravines, 
with  bald  and  furrowed  mountains  on  either  side, 
we  ascended  a  ridge  which  brought  in  view  an 
extensive  and  barren  plain,  bounded  on  all  sides  by 
lofty  mountains.  To  the  westward  we  perceived 
a  range  which  extended  from  north  to  south,  and 
which  appeared  to  have  frequent  breaks  in  it. 

In  the  afternoon,  we  arrived  at  the  Aqua  Escar- 
bada,  where  we  expected  to  have  to  dig  for  water; 
but  the  ground  had  been  so  deeply  excavated  that 
a  running  spring  had  been  reached. 

Shortly  before  reaching  this  place,  we  found  on 
the  roadside  the  remains  of  an  American,  with 
the  mark  of  a  rifle-ball  in  his  skull.  From  papers 
which  were  scattered  around,  we  ascertained  that 
he  was  a  Mormon  on  an  exploring  expedition,  and 
his  buckskin  garments  not  having  been  wet  by 
rain,  proved  that  he  had  been  killed  this  season. 
Day's  travel,  25  miles;  total,  1608  miles. 


158  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

August  14.  A  rapid  descent  down  a  sinuous 
ravine,  from  two  to  three  miles  in  length,  brought 
us  to  the  sink  in  the  plain,  where  is  found  the  Ojo 
de  Archilete  (Archilete's  Spring)  at  some  distance 
from  which  are  many  small  willows,  but  in  its 
immediate  vicinity  there  is  a  total  absence  of  shade ; 
the  water  is  clear  and  cool,  but  slightly  brackish. 
A  cruel  tragedy,  heroically  avenged  by  Kit  Carson 
and  Alexander  Godey,  and  recorded  by  Fremont, 
occurred  here  in  1844,  and  has  rendered  this  spot 
memorable;  we  found  near  the  spring  the  skull  of 
an  Indian,  killed  perhaps  in  that  affray.  Day's 
travel,  22  miles;  whole  distance,  1630  miles. 

August  15.  A  ride  of  five  miles  brought  us  to 
the  Amargosa  (Bitter  Creek),  a  ravine  containing 
v  a  scanty  supply  of  warm,  fetid,  and  nauseating 
water,  in  a  succession  of  holes.  We  encamped  at 
the  foot  of  a  rock  on  its  eastern  side,  where  a 
slender  brackish  spring  barely  supplied  our  wants. 
The  valley,  or  broad  ravine,  through  which  the 
Amargosa,  during  the  rainy  season,  is  for  a  few 
miles  a  running  stream,  winds  with  a  general  course 
from  southeast  to  northwest,  and  is  hemmed  in  dy 
steep,  black  and  rocky  hills. 

The  second  Jornada  across  the  desert  commences 
at  the  Amargosa,  and  ends  at  the  Agua  del  Tio 
Meso  (The  Spring  of  Uncle  Meso).  It  is  fifty 
miles  in  length,  and  we  anticipated  much  toil  and 
suffering  in  crossing  it.  We  endeavored  to  guard 
against  the  loss  of  our  mules  from  hunger,  by 
laying  in  a  small  supply  of  green  reeds  and  mesquit 


The  Desert  Journey  159 

beans,  the  only  forage,  except  salt  grass,  that  could 
be  obtained  here;  and,  not  expecting  to  find  water 
the  whole  distance,  all  our  canteens  were  filled. 

We  commenced  this  dreary  journey  at  2  P.M. 
The  heat  was  intense  and,  instead  of  diminishing 
as  the  sun  descended,  it  became  more  oppressive. 
For  twelve  miles  the  road  was  over  deep  sand,  into 
which  the  mules  sank  above  their  fetlocks. 

In  fifteen  miles,  we  diverged  to  the  left  across  a 
spur  of  rocky  hills,  the  road  leading  through  a 
ravine,  where,  much  to  our  surprise,  we  discovered 
the  remains  of  houses,  rastres  (Mexican  quartz 
crushers)  and  all  the  appliances  of  gold  mining. 
These  we  subsequently  ascertained  were  the  Salt 
Spring  Gold  Mines,  where  a  fortune  had  been 
sunk  by  men  who  were  sufficiently  deluded  or 
sanguine  to  abandon  the  rich  mines  of  California, 
travel  across  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  desert, 
and  live  upwards  of  twelve  months  in  a  spot  so 
desolate  and  forlorn  that  there  is  actually  not 
sufficient  vegetation  to  keep  a  goat  from  starvation. 
We  here  found  two  springs,  one  sulphurous  and 
nauseating,  the  other  brackish.  The  canteens 
were  replenished,  but  it  was  impossible  to  water 
the  mules. 

August  1 6.  The  heat  increased  as  we  advanced 
into  the  desert,  and  most  of  the  party  had  divested 
themselves  of  the  greater  part  of  their  clothing. 
The  guns,  which  we  carried  across  the  pummels 
of  our  saddles,  were  hot  to  the  touch;  and  to  add  to 
our  annoyance  and  suffering  the  wind,  laden  with 


160  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

an  impalpable  sand,  blew  fiercely  from  the  south 
ward,  feeling  as  if  it  issued  from  the  mouth  of  a 
furnace,  and  obliterating  in  many  places  all  traces 
of  the  road.  The  mules,  already  jaded  by  travel 
ling  across  the  sandy  plain,  went  slowly  along, 
their  heads  dropping  to  the  ground.  The  pale 
moon,  occasionally  overshadowed  by  clouds,  threw 
a  ghastly  light  over  the  desert,  and  skeletons  of 
animals  glistening  in  her  beams,  strewed  the  way, 
adding  horror  to  the  scene. 

Shortly  before  dawn  we  entered  some  hills  to 
the  westward  where  the  heat  was  less  intense. 
Three  of  the  mules  were  unable  to  go  farther,  and 
their  saddles  and  packs  were  placed  on  other  ani 
mals,  and  men  left  with  them,  together  with  some 
reeds  and  beans  and  a  small  supply  of  water.  We 
were  now  all  on  foot,  our  animals  having  barely 
sufficient  strength  to  carry  their  saddles.  At  day 
light  we  began  to  scatter  and  those  who  could  go 
in  advance  did  so,  for  our  thirst  was  beginning  to  be 
intolerable.  It  was  not  until  10  A.M.,  after  twenty 
hours  of  continuous  march,  completely  prostrated 
with  heat,  toil,  hunger  and  thirst,  that  we  reached 
the  Agua  del  Tio  Meso. 

This  camping -ground  (which  is  called  on  the 
maps  Agua  del  Tomaso)  has  two  small  pools  fed  by 
tiny  springs.  The  water  in  the  pools  we  found 
barely  drinkable;  the  grass  was  scanty  and  salt; 
but  when  mules  are  starving,  they  are  not  particu 
lar  in  their  choice  of  food. 

The  men  who  had  been  left  with  the  mules  joined 


The  Desert  Journey  161 

us  late  in  the  afternoon;  they  had  suffered  much, 
but  brought  in  all  the  animals.  Poor  "Pite"  was 
the  last  one  in;  his  thirst  was  dreadful,  and 
when  he  reached  the  spring  he  threw  himself  on 
the  ground  and  drank  to  repletion. 

This  spring  is  named  after  an  old  Mexican  called 
Meso,  who  was  styled  Tio,  or  uncle,  on  account  of 
his  age.  He  discovered  it  when  he  and  his  party 
were  nearly  perishing  with  thirst.  Their  happy 
deliverance  was  celebrated  by  a  great  feast. 
He  washed  and  dressed  himself  and  rambled  about 
the  place  singing  until  he  fell  dead,  killed  by  a 
stroke  of  apoplexy.  Two  peons,  abandoned  on 
the  desert  by  their  master,  reached  this  spring  after 
their  party  had  left  for  the  Mohaveh.  Unable  to 
proceed  farther,  they  both  died  of  starvation,  and 
the  next  travellers  who  encamped  here  found  their 
skeletons  locked  in  each  other's  embrace,  as  if  they 
had  expired  in  the  act  of  devouring  one  another. 

These  painful  associations,  together  with  the 
utterly  desolate  appearance  of  all  around,  cast  a 
gloom  over  our  spirits ;  and  we  could  not  raise  them, 
as  old  Tio  Meso  did,  by  a  feast ;  for  all  we  had  that 
day  was  a  couple  of  spoonfuls  of  boiled  pinole. 
The  road  across  the  Jornada  is  good,  with  the 
exception  of  the  first  twelve  miles,  where  it  is 
sandy.  The  only  vegetation  that  I  noticed  was 
artemisia,  on  the  plains,  and  mesquit  and  dry 
greasewood  among  the  hills.  Day's  march,  55 
miles;  whole  distance,  1685  miles. 

August  17.     The  Agua  del  Tio  Meso  is  an  oasis; 


1 62  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

for,  although  a  wretched  spot,  it  is  the  only  resting- 
place  in  the  desert  between  the  Amargosa  and  the 
River  Mohaveh.  We  were  glad  to  leave  it  at  4  A.M. 
Two  of  the  mules  soon  showed  signs  of  failing,  and 
remained  on  the  road  in  charge  of  one  of  the  Mexi 
cans.  We  rested  for  a  few  minutes  at  10  A.M.  to 
breakfast,  having  filled  our  canteens  at  Tio  Meso's 
spring.  The  Delaware  had  killed  a  rabbit,  the 
first  of  any  game  that  we  had  seen  for  a  long  time ; 
but  we  left  it  on  the  road,  with  some  water,  for  the 
Mexican,  as  we  feared  that  he  might  be  delayed 
until  late. 

The  desert  retained  its  level  and  monotonous 
character  until  we  reached  Mohaveh  River,  at 
7  P.M.,  our  animals  almost  perishing  from  hunger 
and  thirst. 

The  sandy  soil  through  which  the  Mohaveh 
flows  absorbs  nearly  all  its  water,  and  where  we 
struck  it  it  was  no  longer  a  running  stream.  Grass, 
however,  was  everywhere  abundant,  together  with 
a  thick  growth  of  willows,  reeds,  and  mesquit 
bushes,  interlaced  with  grape-vines;  and  in  some 
places  there  were  beautiful  groves  of  cottonwoods. 

All  our  troubles  as  regarded  a  scarcity  of  water 
and  grass  were  now  at  an  end,  and  from  this  point 
our  journey  was  over  a  level  country,  offering  no 
impediment  whatever  to  a  good  road  as  far  as  the 
settlements  in  California.  Except  on  the  edge  of 
the  river,  however,  the  land  was  barren  and  unpro 
ductive,  offering  no  point  fit  for  settlement. 

Lieut.  Beale  and  myself  had  intended  on  reach- 


The  Desert  Journey  163 

ing  the  Mohaveh  to  have  gone  in  advance  of  our 
people;  but  we  could  not  leave  them  in  their 
starving  condition.  It  was  also  our  intention  to 
have  selected  two  or  three  of  the  men  to  accompany 
us  across  the  desert  between  the  Mohaveh  and 
Walker's  Pass,  in  the  Sierra  Nevada;  but  we  found 
that  of  all  our  animals  there  were  not  five  that  could 
travel  over  twenty  miles  a  day,  and,  as  the  inter 
vening  country  was  entirely  destitute  of  water  and 
grass,  we  were  compelled  reluctantly  to  relinquish 
this  prospect. 

The  Mexican  left  with  the  mules  arrived  at  n 
P.M.,  having  remained  faithfully  by  them  until  he 
brought  them  in.  We  thus  crossed  this  desert 
without  abandoning  a  single  animal,  which  is,  I 
believe,  almost  unprecedented.  Day's  travel,  30 
miles ;  whole  distance,  1715  miles. 

August  19.  The  road  was  through  heavy  sand, 
and  often  left  the  river  at  a  distance  of  two  miles. 
We  encamped  at  noon  near  a  large  and  deep  pond 
of  very  cool  and  clear  water,  alive  with  fish,  prin 
cipally  mullets,  some  of  which  were  large.  We  had 
just  finished  our  allowance  of  pinole,  when  the 
Delaware  rode  into  camp  with  a  splendid  antelope 
lashed  behind  his  saddle,  and  reported  that  he 
had  shot  another,  which  was  immediately  sent  for. 
As  the  question  of  starvation  was  now  set  at  rest, 
it  was  determined  that  Mr.  Beale  and  myself  and 
two  of  the  men  should  proceed  as  rapidly  as  our 
mules  could  travel,  whilst  the  remainder  of  the 
party  were  to  follow  us  by  easy  stages  to  the  settle- 


164  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

ments.  Day's  travel,  19  miles;  whole  distance, 
1742  miles. 

August  20.  Where  we  crossed  the  Mohaveh  it 
was  a  rapid  stream,  twenty -five  yards  in  breadth 
and  one  foot  in  depth,  but  its  water  was  too  warm 
to  be  drinkable.  Passed  several  fine  meadows  near 
the  river,  and  saw  bands  of  antelopes,  also  hares 
and  partridges.  After  a  rest  of  seven  hours  we 
resumed  our  journey,  the  road  leading  up  to  an 
extensive  plain,  thickly  covered  with  cedars  and 
pines,  intermingled  with  palmyra  cactus  and 
aloes.  It  forks  about  ten  miles  from  the  river. 
The  left-hand  fork,  which  we  took,  follows  the  old 
Spanish  trail,  whilst  the  other,  which  had  been 
recently  opened  by  the  Mormons,  makes  a  bend 
to  avoid  a  rough  portion  of  country.  They  both 
join  again  in  the  Cajon  Pass.  We  travelled  until 
ii  P.M.,  when  we  rested  under  the  cedars  on  the 
plain,  where  we  found  dry  bunch-grass,  but  no 
water.  Day's  travel,  40  miles;  whole  distance, 
1783  miles. 

August  21.  For  the  last  time  the  cry  of  "  catch 
up"  was  heard,  and  we  saddled  our  mules  before 
dawn,  impatient  to  reach  our  journey's  end.  On 
approaching  the  mountains  which  extended 
between  us  and  the  valley  of  Los  Angeles,  the 
country  presented  a  more  broken  appearance. 
After  travelling  six  miles,  we  commenced  descend 
ing  the  Pacific  slope,  and  soon  after  reached  the 
head  waters  of  the  Santa  Ana,  a  creek  rising  to 
the  eastward  of  the  mountains,  and  which  finds  its 


The  Desert  Journey  165 

way  through  the  Cajon  Pass  to  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
south  of  San  Pedro. 

We  entered  this  pass,  and  the  most  magnificent 
scenery  presented  itself  to  our  eyes.  Around  us 
were  lofty  mountains,  their  summits  clothed  with 
pines,  while  around  their  bases  grew  chimsal,  man- 
sanita,  dwarf  oaks,  and  aloes.  In  the  valley  were 
numerous  clusters  of  sycamore,  which  attains  here 
a  large  size,  and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  trees  in 
the  country.  The  ground  was  covered  with  innu 
merable  tracks  of  grizzly  bears,  and  the  Delaware 
kept  a  keen  lookout  for  the  rough-coated  gentry. 
During  our  journey,  he  had  killed  at  least  one 
specimen  of  each  species  of  game  to  be  found  in  the 
region  which  we  had  traversed,  and  he  was  anxious 
to  have  an  encounter  with  the  largest  and  fiercest 
of  them  all,  the  mighty  grizzly  of  California;  but 
he  was  disappointed ;  although  our  men,  in  coming 
through  this  pass  a  few  days  later,  had  a  desperate 
fight  with  a  bear,  which  they  finally  overcame. 

We  issued  from  the  mountains  at  noon,  when 
the  beautiful  valley  of  San  Bernardino,  with  its 
stupendous  mountain,  broke  upon  our  view. 
Never  did  so  beautiful  a  sight  gladden  the  eyes 
of  weary  travellers,  and  having  been  in  the  saddle 
since  dawn,  we  turned  our  jaded  mules  into  a  rich 
meadow,  where  the  grass  reached  to  their  knees, 
and  we  rested  under  the  shade  of  a  grove  of 
sycamores. 

Leaving  the  valley  of  San  Bernardino  behind 
us,  we  directed  our  course  northwest  in  the  direc- 


i66  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

tion  of  Los  Angeles.  We  travelled  steadily  until 
nightfall  without  perceiving  any  signs  of  habita 
tions,  though  our  hopes  were  constantly  kept  alive 
by  fresh  tracks  of  men  and  cattle.  Finally  at  nine 
o'clock  when  we  were  on  the  point  of  dismounting, 
our  weary  beasts  being  scarcely  able  to  lift  their 
feet,  we  were  saluted  by  the  cheering  bark  of  a 
dog  and  in  a  few  minutes  found  ourselves  in  the 
centre  of  a  large  cluster  of  buildings,  and  welcomed 
in  the  most  friendly  manner  to  Cocomongo  Rancho, 
by  the  Mexican  proprietor.  Day's  travel,  35 
miles;  whole  distance,  1817  miles. 

August  22.  Our  arrival  at  the  Rancho  de  Coco 
mongo  will  long  be  a  green  spot  in  our  memories; 
and  it  was  a  pleasant  sight  to  us  to  witness  the 
satisfaction  of  our  travel-worn  mules  in  passing 
from  unremitting  toil  and  scanty  food  to  complete 
rest  and  abundant  nourishment. 

We  obtained  fresh  horses,  and  a  gallop  of  thirty- 
five  miles  through  a  rich  and  settled  country 
brought  us  to  the  city  of  Los  Angeles,  where  every 
kindness  and  attention  was  shown  to  us  by 
Mr.  Wilson,  Indian  Agent,  and  his  accomplished 
lady. 

We  had  been  given  up  for  lost,  and  several  parties 
had  gone  in  search  of  us.  Some  of  our  friends  had 
spent  six  weeks  in  Walker's  Pass,  where  they  ex 
pected  us  to  arrive,  and  had  kept  up  fires  by  night 
and  smokes  by  day  on  a  point  visible  at  a  long  dis 
tance  in  the  desert,  to  guide  us  in  case  we  should 
have  lost  our  way.  Day's  march,  35  miles;  total 


The  Desert  Journey  167 

distance  from  Westport,  Missouri,  to  Los  Angeles, 
California,  1852  miles. 

The  remainder  of  our  party  arrived  two  days 
later,  and  thus,  without  serious  accident  to  any  of 
the  men,  and  with  the  loss  of  only  three  of  the  mules, 
we  accomplished  the  distance  from  Westport  to 
Los  Angeles  in  exactly  one  hundred  days.  Some 
of  the  party,  however,  had  travelled  seven  hundred 
and  fifteen  miles  more,  in  going  to  Taos  from  Grand 
River  and  in  returning. 

As  the  following  letter  indicates,  the  arrival  of 
the  expedition  was  warmly  welcomed  by  Colonel, 
afterwards  Gen.  E.  A.  Hitchcock,  U.  S.  A.,  who  was 
in  command  of  the  Pacific  Division.  Gen.  Hitch 
cock  was  a  warm  and  loyal  supporter  of  Beale 
throughout  his  Indian  wars  in  the  field  as  well  as 
in  the  forum. 

HEADQUARTERS  PACIFIC  DIVISION, 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  Sept.  5th,  1853. 
DEAR  SIR: 

The  Morning  Herald  has  just  announced  the  anxiously 
looked  for  news  of  your  safe  arrival  in  California  once  more. 
I  sincerely  congratulate  you  on  the  success  of  your  adven 
turous  trip  and  shall  be  most  happy  to  hear  from  yourself 
some  account  of  your  extraordinary  journey.  The  news, 
among  other  immediate  results,  lighted  up  the  countenance 
of  Mr.  Edwards1  who  appeared  to  relish  his  office  this 
morning — which  I  am  sure  he  has  not  done  for  many  weeks 
past.  He  told  me  a  few  moments  since,  that  he  intended 

1  Mrs.  Beale's  brother  and  a  companion  of  Gen.  Beale  in  many  of 
his  journeys. 


i68  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

going  out  to  meet  you,  and  I  have  thought  it  a  good  oppor 
tunity  to  say  a  word  of  our  public  duties.  Let  me  say,  at 
once,  that  the  sanction  required  from  me,  as  Com'g.  this 
Division,  as  a  prerequisite  to  your  locating  an  Indian  farm 
or  reservation,  has  in  view,  as  I  regard  it,  only  this,  that  the 
place  selected  by  you  may  be  within  reach  of  such  military 
appliances  as  the  plan  contemplates,  and  it  is  only  to  this 
extent  that  I  shall  give  any  opinion. 

I  shall  not  undertake  to  control  your  judgment  in  the 
slightest  manner  in  what  properly  belongs  to  you  as  Super 
intendent  of  Indian  Affairs.  But  as  some  measures  of  a 
military  character  were  contemplated,  looking  to  accessibil 
ity  and  defence,  it  was  doubtless  thought  proper  that  the 
Military  Commander  of  the  Division  should  have  a  voice 
on  this  point.  Otherwise  the  Superintendent  would  vir 
tually  have  the  troops  under  his  control,  by  selecting  the 
site  and  compelling  the  troops  to  occupy  it.  I  mention  this 
view  in  order  to  express  the  opinion  that  the  Executive 
could  have  had  no  intention  of  superseding  you  in  your 
proper  duties.  In  view  of  this  I  desire  to  say  that  I  con 
sider  it  entirely  within  your  own  province  to  see  that  the 
law  is  complied  with  in  respect  to  settlers  and  indeed  in  all 
other  matters,  and  when  you  shall  have  satisfied  yourself 
as  to  the  best  location  I  will  indicate  my  opinions  as  to  the 
practicability  of  defence.  In  order  to  come  to  an  under 
standing  in  regard  to  my  part  of  it  I  will  thank  you  to  take 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  Capt.  Jordan,  at  Fort  Miller,  who 
has  recently  traversed  much  of  the  Tulane  country,  and  by 
explaining  your  wishes  to  him  I  shall  obtain  a  report  from 
him  upon  which  to  act  myself;  such  a  course  being  pointed 
out  by  my  instructions  from  the  Sec'y  of  War. 

It  gives  me  the  greatest  pleasure  to  feel  that  you  and 
myself  will  not  seriously  differ  in  opinion  either  as  to  the 
general  object  to  be  accomplished  or  the  best  means  of 
attaining  it.  I  will  venture  to  suggest  that  you  would  do 
well  so  to  make  your  calculations  as  not  only  not  to  exceed 


The  Desert  Journey  169 

your  means  but  to  have  something  left  for  contingencies. 
For  this  purpose  I  would  make  as  close  an  estimate  of  the 
probable  expenses  of  a  farm  as  possible,  and  if  necessary,  to 
keep  within  the  provided  means,  I  would  commence  with 
only  one  farm.  I  would  on  no  account  begin  with  the 
Indians  on  a  scale  beyond  my  ability  to  carry  it  through  the 
year  and  would  hold  the  power  of  going  beyond  my  promises 
rather  than  falling  short  of  them. 

We  shall  look  for  you  soon  and  no  one  will  be  more  happy 
to  meet  you  than 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

E.  A.  HITCHCOCK, 

Col.  U.  S.  Army. 
ED.  F.  BEALE,  Esq., 
Supt.  of  Ind.  Affairs, 

California. 
Fort  Miller. 

During  this  adventurous  period  and  indeed 
throughout  his  life  Senator  Benton  was  a  con 
stant  correspondent  of  Beale's.  In  the  following 
letters  written  at  this  time  a  very  charming  side 
of  the  Missouri  Tribune's  character  is  revealed  and 
the  interest  with  which  Beale's  exploration  of  the 
Central  Plain  was  followed  in  the  East  and  at  the 
seat  of  government  in  Washington  is  made  very 
plain. 

Benton's  praise  of  the  young  explorer  is  all  the 
more  generous  when  it  is  recalled  that  it  was  a 
sore  disappointment  to  him  at  the  moment,  and  a 
rank  injustice  for  all  time,  that  the  command  of 
one  of  the  trans-continental  expeditions  sent  out 
by  the  Administration  had  not  been  given  to  his 
son-in-law,  Col.  Fremont. 


170  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  Oct.  3,  '53. 

To  EDWARD  BEALE,  Esq. 

DEAR  SIR  : 

Col.  Fremont  had  to  turn  back  for  some  illness  after 
leaving  the  frontier  to  get  medical  assistance  at  St.  Louis; 
but  his  party  went  on  (ten  good  Delawares  among  them)  to 
proceed  until  they  entered  the  Buffalo  range,  and  then  to 
remain  in  a  hunting  encampment  until  he  overtook  them. 
He  writes  from  St.  Louis  in  good  spirits  and  perfect  confi 
dence  of  making  a  complete  survey.  He  desired  me  to 
send  this  message  to  you,  which  I  do  in  his  own  words : 

"Please  request  of  Mr.  Beale  to  put  his  best  animals  at 
my  rancho,  or  at  any  other  convenient  place,  where  they 
may  recruit,  and  exchange  them  for  mine  when  I  reach 
California.  It  is  my  intention  to  turn  back  immediately 
and  make  the  return  voyage  with  great  rapidity.  I  had  on 
my  place,  when  I  left  California,  upwards  of  twenty  horses 
and  mules.  These  animals,  and  the  proposed  exchange 
with  Beale,  would  enable  me  to  accomplish  my  purpose; 
but  the  animals  ought  to  be  all  looked  to  and  well  cared  for 
in  the  meanwhile." 

This  is  what  he  requests  of  you,  and  which  you  will  no 
doubt  take  pleasure  in  doing  as  far  as  you  can.  I  had 
wished  to  apply  to  the  Secretary  for  leave  for  you  to  return 
with  Fremont,  but  we  have  not  yet  heard  of  your  arrival 
in  the  country,  and  therefore,  cannot  ask  that  favor  at 
present.  Our  last  advices  from  you  are  the  letters  from 
Mr.  Heap  at  Taos,  and  which  gave  us  the  gratifying  news 
of  your  having  found  good  passes,  good  country,  water, 
etc.,  altho'  balked  at  the  Grand  River  Fork  of  the  Great 
Colorado. 

We  have  Santa  Fe  mails  to  the  first  of  September,  which 
was  six  weeks  after  Heap  returned  from  Taos,  and  hearing 
nothing  more  of  you  on  this  side  of  the  mountains,  conclude 
that  you  have  gone  through.  I  enclose  a  slip  which  gives 
an  account  of  Riggs  and  Rodgers.  The  former  has  stopped 


The  Desert  Journey  171 

in  New  York,  and  I  think  must  be  pretty  well  cured  of 
gout. 

Let  Mr.  Heap  know  that  I  have  a  letter  from  his  father 
as  late  as  the  i8th  of  August,  when  they  were  all  well — as  we 
are  here. 

Yours  sincerely, 

THOMAS  H.  BENTON. 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  Nov.  2,  '53. 

DEAR  EDWARD: 

Your  letter  of  the  29th  Sep.  giving  a  brief  account  of  the 
Canada  de  las  Uvas,  and  referring  to  a  previous  one,  came 
safe  to  hand,  but  not  so  the  one  to  which  it  refers,  and  which 
has  not  yet  reached  me.  I  am  glad  you  explored  that  Pass. 
It  adds  to  our  choice  of  routes,  but  we  wish  to  find  one  north 
of  Walker's,  and  as  near  as  possible  in  the  straight  line  of 
travel,  so  as  to  cut  off  the  elbow  to  the  S.  W.  after  leaving 
the  Vegas  de  Santa  Clara.  I  am  looking  for  the  Journal 
kept  of  your  expedition,  and  will  have  it  published  in  the 
National  Intelligencer,  whence  it  will  go  all  over  the  U.  S. 

Your  expedition  has  been  filling  the  U.  S.  during  all  the 
summer,  and  has  fixed  the  character  of  the  central  route. 
The  Government  expeditions  seem  to  be  forgotten.  Fre 
mont  resumed  his  expedition  on  the  I5th  ult.  from  St.  Louis, 
taking  a  physician  with  him. 

I  am  sincerely  glad  that  Hammond  has  been  able  to  dispel 
the  cloud  of  suspicion  that  had  gathered  against  him. 
Somebody  acted  foully  and  villainously  toward  you,  and 
time  may  show  who  it  was.  .  .  . 

Your  friend, 

THOMAS  H.  BENTON. 

Dec.  3,  '53. 
DEAR  EDWARD: 

You  have  gained  a  great  deal  of  credit  by  your  expedition, 
and  established  yourself  with  the  country — the  more  so 


172  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

from  the  massacre  of  GunnisonV  party  by  the  same  tribe 
that  was  so  hospitable  to  you. 

The  Nat.  Int.  spreads  it  and  it  will  be  printed  in  pamph 
let,  with  a  map,  which  will  bring  you  a  heap  de  Vargent, 
beaucoup  de  V argent.  Will  also  try  and  get  Congress  to 
reimburse  your  expenses. 

I  think  you  should  make  a  special  report  on  the  Indian 
department  debts  in  California — reporting  every  one  to  the 
Government,  that  you  can  find  out,  with  the  justice,  or 
injustice  of  each. 

This  is  due  to  bonafide  claimants  as  well  as  to  the  govern 
ment,  that  the  good  may  be  paid  and  a  check  had  upon  the 
bad.  In  your  report  give  this  as  a  special  reason,  in  addi 
tion  to  general  duty,  for  making  it. 

In  that  report  you  can  well  place  the  cattle  which  Fre 
mont  actually  delivered  to  N.  Y.  agents. 
Affectionately, 

THOMAS  H.  BENTON, 

Senator  from  Missouri. 

Benton  was  never  weary  of  praising  Beale  and 
pointing  out  the  immense  importance  and  value 
of  his  explorations  to  the  country  in  general  and  in 
particular  to  his  beloved  St.  Louis.  Upon  the 
return  East,  Benton  met  them  and  at  a  banquet 
which  the  city  gave  made  the  following  remarks, 
which,  necessarily  very  much  condensed,  I  take 
from  a  St.  Louis  paper  of  the  following  day. 
"There  before  you,  Gentlemen,"  said  the  Senator, 
"sit  the  heads  of  this  remarkable  party  (pointing 

1  Referring  to  the  fate  of  the  exploring  and  surveying  expedition 
under  the  command  of  Col.  John  M.  Gunnison,  U.  S.  A.,  Gunnison 
with  seven  of  his  men  was  murdered  by  a  band  of  Mormons  and 
Indians  near  Sevier  Lake,  Utah,  on  October  26,  1853. 


The  Desert  Journey  173 

to  Beale  and  Heap),  they  are  young  in  years  but 
old  in  experience  and  well  tried  in  all  the  hardships 
and  dangers  of  distant  travel.  The  Superintend 
ent,  Mr.  Beale,  has  made  at  least  a  dozen  voyages 
by  land  or  water  to  California,  has  been  the  com 
rade  of  Fremont,  Carson  and  other  mountain  men 
.  .  .  and  yet  he  is  only  twenty-eight,  an  age 
when  the  period  of  heroic  life  is  still  ahead." 
Benton  then  enumerated  the  supplies  which 
the  explorers  took  with  them;  it  is  not  a  long 
list  and  yet  too  long  to  be  reproduced  here. 
However,  Benton  adding  up  the  total,  says  the 
whole  outfit  cost  only  eighty-six  dollars  and  thirty 
cents  and  then  preaches  a  sermon  upon  the 
economy  shown. 

"This  is  the  list  of  supplies  all  told  and  a  blanket 
apiece  and  no  tents.  Some  rifles  to  keep  off  the 
Indians  and  to  bring  down  game  .  .  .  And  this  is 
the  outfit  for  a  fifty  days'  wilderness  jaunt  of  young 
men  who  at  home  wear  fine  linen  and  fare  sump 
tuously  every  day.  Gentlemen,  this  is  certainly  sug 
gestive  of  many  conclusions  such  as  that  they  are 
not  a  government  party,  do  not  equip  at  public 
expense,  did  not  graduate  at  West  Point  and  do  not 
intend  to  break  down  under  the  transportation  of 
what  is  called,  in  the  vernacular  of  the  West,  'belly- 
timber/  " 


CHAPTER  X 
INDIAN  AFFAIRS 

State  of  the  Indians  in  the  Pacific  Coast  Territories — 
Indians  Held  to  Peonage  by  the  Whites — Fifteen 
Thousand  Die  of  Starvation — Spaniards  and  Mexicans 
as  Slave  Drivers — Beale's  Plan  of  Protected  Reserva 
tions  for  the  Nation's  Wards — Mr.  Sebastian  Supports 
the  Plan  in  the  Senate,  and  Secures  the  Desired  Appro 
priation — Beale's  Indian  Policy  Endorsed  by  the 
Military  and  Civil  Officials  in  California — General 
Hitchcock's  Letter — Opposition  of  Indian  Agents — 
Massacres  in  Shasta  and  Scott  Valley — General  Rising 
of  the  Indians  Feared — Beale  Commissioned  Briga 
dier-General — As  Peace  Plenipotentiary  Brings  the 
Warlike  Tribes  to  Terms— Beale's  Defence  of  the 
Modocs. 

ONCE  arrived  upon  the  Pacific  Coast,  Gen. 
Beale    addressed  himself  with  character 
istic  energy  to  the    tremendous  problem 
which  anything  like  fair  treatment  for  the  Indians 
imposed.     He  held  a  census  of  his  wards  and  found 
that  the  Indians  numbered  about  seventy  thou 
sand  "though  they  are,"  as  he  wrote  to  Washing 
ton,  "  melting  away  every  day  before  the  pressure  of 
the  white  population  and  owing  to  the  harassing 

174 


Indian  Affairs  175 

operation  of  circumstances  over  which  we  have 
no  control/' 

General  Beale  further  wrote  that  he  was  con 
vinced  that  more  than  fifteen  thousand  Indians  had 
perished  from  starvation  during  the  previous  sea 
son.  He  further  describes  at  considerable  length 
in  his  official  correspondence  many  cases  of  peonage 
in  which  whole  families  and  even  villages  of 
Indians  had  been  involved  and  as  a  result  were 
living  in  a  state  of  servitude.  Fortunately  for  the 
reputation  of  American  citizenship  he  adds,  "these 
slave  drivers  and  those  who  were  holding  the 
pueblos  in  bondage  are  almost  without  exception 
Spaniards  or  Mexicans.'* 

It  was  apparent  to  General  Beale  that  the  system 
or  rather  want  of  system  which  he  found  in  force 
would  lead  soon  to  an  Indian  war,  or,  if  not  would 
in  a  very  few  years  end  in  the  disappearance  of  his 
wards.  A  section  and  a  very  noisy  section  of  the 
frontier  population  was  in  favor  of  exterminating 
the  unfortunate  savages  who  had  large  possessions 
but  not  the  wit  to  defend  them,  and  it  required  a 
man  of  General  Beale's  sturdy  courage  to  oppose  the 
plans  for  getting  rid  of  the  unfortunate  race  which 
were  now  showered  upon  him.  What  took  place 
is  perhaps  best  described  in  one  of  the  speeches 
with  which  Senator  Sebastian,1  who  had  seen  the 
General  at  work  in  the  field,  supported  his  policy. 

1  William  King  Sebastian,  born  in  Tennessee.  U.  S.  Senator  from 
Arkansas,  1853-61.  During  this  time  he  was  Chairman  of  the  Senate 
Committee  on  Indian  Affairs. 


176  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

I  will  not  go  on  into  further  details  [said  the  Senator] ; 
that  conditions  are  bad  enough  in  all  conscience  will  not 
be  disputed  I  suppose.  The  moment  Gen.  Beale  became 
satisfied  that  if  the  present  order  of  things  were  permitted 
to  long  continue  the  results  would  be  disastrous,  he  tried 
on  a  limited  scale  the  plan  which  I  now  propose  should  be 
generally  adopted.  He  congregated  around  about  him 
upon  a  small  reservation  a  number  of  Indians  without  inter 
fering  in  the  rights  of  property  or  occupancy  of  any  citizen 
of  California.  Over  one  thousand  of  this  simple  tribe  of 
Indians  who  are  mild  in  their  character,  not  wild  like  the 
Comanches  or  other  tribes  east  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  have 
flocked  around  him  as  their  only  protector  from  the  misery 
by  which  they  are  surrounded  and  from  the  cruel  persecu 
tion  by  which  they  are  pursued.  Gen.  Beale  finds  these 
simple  people  anxious  for  work  and  easily  adapting  them 
selves  to  the  changed  condition  of  their  affairs.  Indeed 
such  has  been  the  extended  success  of  the  experiment  which 
he  undertook  on  his  own  responsibility  that  hundreds  of 
other  Indians  are  absolutely  importuning  him  to  place  them 
under  his  immediate  protection  and  allow  them  to  work  and 
to  live. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  success  of  the  experi 
ment  upon  the  scale  it  has  been  tried,  all  observers  agree  in 
this  favorable  verdict,  and  so  encouraged,  all  the  Superin 
tendent  of  the  Indians  asks  is  to  be  allowed  a  sufficient 
amount  of  money  to  extend  the  same  system  all  over 
California.  In  this  way  it  is  believed  that  the  entire  Indian 
population  can  be  congregated  into  small  districts  of  coun 
try  which  will  not  interfere  with  any  existing  white  settle 
ments  and  which  can  be  protected  from  incursions.  It  is 
supposed  that  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  will 
suffice  to  carry  out  the  plan.  If  the  system  is  worth  any 
thing,  and  I  think  it  will  be  successful  once  it  is  put  into 
operation,  it  will  be  self -sustaining. 

Not  only  have  we  reason  to  expect  this  but  I  am  assured 


Indian  Affairs  177 

by  General  Beale  and  we  all  know  he  is  a  practical  man  that 
not  only  will  the  system  prove  self-sustaining  but  it  will 
prove  a  useful  auxiliary  in  reducing  the  expenses  of  the 
regular  army  Quartermaster's  Department  in  that  country. 
I  have  not  entered  into  details  because  we  have  I  am  sure 
implicit  confidence  in  the  Superintendent  and  propose  to 
let  him  carry  out  the  details  of  his  own  plan  in  his  own  way. 

The  following  letter  from  Beale  was  also  read  to 
the  Senate  by  Mr.  Sebastian  and  helped  greatly  to 
carry  the  day  for  a  more  civilized  treatment  of  the 
Indians.  The  letter  was  addressed  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Interior  and  reads : 

I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  in  obedience  to  your 
instructions  dated  Dec.  8th,  1852,  I  went  over  to  the 
San  Pablo  Rancho  in  Contra  Costa  county  to  investigate 
the  matter  of  alleged  cruel  treatment  of  Indians  there.  I 
found  seventy-eight  on  the  rancho  and  twelve  back  of 
Martinez  and  most  of  them  were  sick  and  without  clothes 
or  any  food  but  the  fruit  of  the  buck-eye.  Up  to  the  time 
of  my  coming  eighteen  had  died  of  starvation  at  one  camp, 
how  many  at  the  others  I  could  not  find  out.  These 
Indians  were  brought  into  this  country  from  some  place 
near  Clear  Lake  by  Calif ornians  named  Ramond  Briones, 
Ramon  Mes,  etc.,  who  have  for  some  time  made  a  business 
of  catching  Indians  and  of  disposing  of  them  in  various 
ways.  And  1  have  been  informed  that  many  Indians  have 
been  murdered  in  these  expeditions. 

These  present  Indians  are  the  survivors  of  a  band  who 
were  worked  all  last  summer  and  fall  and  as  the  winter  set 
in,  when  broken  down  by  hunger  and  labor  and  without 
food  or  clothes  they  were  turned  adrift  to  shift  for  them 
selves  as  best  they  could.  Your  timely  interference  in 
behalf  of  these  unfortunate  people  has  saved  the  lives  of 


178  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

most  of  them,  for  the  Indians  could  not  have  lived  through 
such  weather  as  we  have  had  without  any  food,  clothing  or 
shelter. 

I  distributed  all  the  well  among  families  around  who  are 
to  feed,  clothe  and  protect  them  until  your  further  orders. 
I  have  made  provision  for  the  sick  to  be  fed  and  cared  for. 
I  am  happy  to  inform  you,  to  show  the  good  character  of 
these  Indians  that  even  when  starving  and  surrounded  with 
horses  and  cattle  I  heard  no  complaint  of  their  stealing. 
These  people  could  easily  be  made  to  support  themselves 
and  their  condition  changed  for  the  better.  The  grand 
jury  of  the  county  has  found  bills  against  the  Calif ornians 
above  mentioned  and  I  presume  their  trial  will  come  on  next 
term. 

On  several  other  occasions  in  February,  1853, 
Mr.  Sebastian,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  In 
dian  Affairs,  addressed  the  Senate  on  the  question 
of  a  fairer  treatment  of  the  Indians  which  General 
Beale  had  so  courageously  raised,  much  too  coura 
geously  indeed  to  please  many  of  his  friends  who 
had  been  longer  in  political  circles  and  had  lost  the 
moral  courage  which  characterized  the  sailor  who 
had  left  his  ship  to  become  a  pilot  of  the  plains. 
In  his  speeches  Mr.  Sebastian  read  many  extracts 
from  General  Beale's  reports  and  warmly  sup 
ported  the  plans  which  the  General  submitted  for 
adoption  by  the  Government.  The  most  notable  of 
these  speeches  was  delivered  before  a  full  and  as  yet 
unconvinced  Senate  on  March  2nd,  with  the  most 
happy  result.  Indeed  it  may  be  said  without  the 
slightest  exaggeration  that  General  Beale's  humane 
work  and  Senator  Sebastian's  eloquent  words  laid 


Indian  Affairs  179 

the  foundation  of  a  protective  policy  toward  the 
Indians  more  in  consonance  with  the  demands  of 
civilization  than  any  that  had  been  previously  fol 
lowed,  and  it  was  certainly  not  the  fault  of  these 
pioneers  who  carried  their  principles  with  them 
across  the  Colorado  that  the  policy  which  they 
instituted  did  not  immediately  bear  fruit.  Some 
of  Senator  Sebastian's  statements  in  the  course  of 
the  prolonged  debate  are  not  without  interest  or 
timeliness  to-day.  He  said : 

The  Amendment  (which  was  but  a  paraphrase  of  Gen. 
Beale's  recommendations  given  elsewhere)  is  approved  I 
believe  by  the  unanimous  consent  and  earnest  conviction 
of  the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  that  some  legislation 
of  this  kind  is  absolutely  necessary  to  correct  the  state  of 
affairs  now  prevailing  in  California  which  no  one  can  wish  to 
see  continued.  I  beg  that  Senators  will  be  startled  neither 
at  the  amount  asked  for  or  at  the  almost  unlimited  power 
which  it  is  found  necessary  to  confer  on  the  Superintendent 
for  the  Indians.  We  have  often  been  called  upon  to  legis 
late  for  California  on  account  of  the  state  of  things  prevail 
ing  there  and  it  was  but  natural  for  us  to  be  called  upon  to 
make  large  appropriations. 

We  attempted  to  extend  the  whole  system  of  the  Indian 
administration  of  that  country  by  means  of  a  superintendent 
and  Indian  agents.  Now  the  first  result  of  the  agents  going 
into  the  country  was  a  return  to  the  regime  of  the  Nineteen 
Treaties  which  on  account  of  their  condemnation  by  an 
unquestionable  public  sentiment  which  reached  even  this 
body  was  laid  upon  the  table  without  a  dissenting  voice. 
These  treaties  provided  for  large  reservations  and  pledged 
this  government  to  the  payment  of  a  large  sum  of  money, 
a  policy  which  did  not  meet  the  approbation  of  the  delegates 


i8o  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

from  California.  The  next  step  which  Congress  took  was 
to  confide  the  entire  subject  of  the  Indian  policy  of  that 
country  to  a  resident  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  who 
is  clothed  with  almost  viceregal  authority  and  who  was 
made  Indian  Commissioner  for  California.  I  remember 
with  what  satisfaction  the  nomination  of  Gen.  Beale  to  fill 
that  office,  a  gallant  officer  and  a  gentleman  eminently 
qualified  for  it,  was  received  in  this  body. 

Now  Gen.  Beale  has,  after  a  complete  investigation  of  the 
subject,  made  a  report  which  for  comprehensiveness  of 
plan,  for  clearness  of  conception  and  above  all  for  its  prac 
tical  adaptation  to  the  institutions  of  the  country  I  think 
stands  unequalled  by  other  documents  of  this  kind. 

What,  Sir,  may  I  ask  is  the  necessity  of  the  case?  We 
find  California  in  the  possession  of  a  large  number  of  Indian 
tribes  occupying  the  whole  surface  of  the  country.  They 
have  been  in  fact  independent  although  in  form  dependent 
upon  the  mild  paternal  sway  of  Spanish  rule.  Our  emi 
grants  went  there  and  went  with  a  kind  of  feeling  which 
contented  itself  with  nothing  less  than  the  possession  of  the 
whole  country;  the  consequences  have  been  an  unvaried 
monotonous  history  of  wars,  murders,  predatory  incursions, 
starvation  and  great  distress  among  the  Indians  ever 
since.  The  plan  resorted  to  by  the  treaty  making  power 
has  been  unequal  to  the  object  in  view  and  now  it  is  recom 
mended  by  Gen.  Beale  to  collect  the  tribes  together  upon 
small  military  reservations  which  because  they  are  military 
can  be  removed  according  to  the  exigencies  of  the  case. 
They  can  be  placed  here  or  removed  there.  It  will  entitle 
the  Indians  to  protection  against  the  whites  which  is  more 
needed  than  protection  against  the  Indians  and  I  am  satis 
fied  that  nothing  less  than  this  will  be  acceptable  to  the 
people  of  California.  There  is  a  necessity  to  which  we 
must  accommodate  ourselves  in  legislating  for  that  country. 
There  is  a  condition  of  things  there  which  we  must  endeavor 
to  remedy  and  the  best  method  seems  clearly  to  be  found 


Indian  Affairs  181 

in  Gen.  Beale's  plan.  He  would  as  you  have  been  informed, 
congregate  the  Indians  upon  small  military  and  agricultural 
reservations,  sufficiently  large  to  enable  them  to  maintain 
life  upon  and  then  insist  that  all  comers  respect  their  rights. 

Mr.  Sebastian  then  proposed  the  following 
amendment  to  the  bill  regulating  Indian  affairs, 
then  before  the  Senate.  It  was  read  a  third  time 
and  carried  unanimously.  It  embodied  General 
Beale's  plan  and  gave  him  all  the  power  and  the 
facilities  he  then  thought  he  would  require  to  put 
an  end  to  the  shocking  conditions  in  which  he 
found  the  Indians  living  when  he  was  called  upon 
to  take  charge  of  their  destinies.  The  amendment 
unanimously  adopted  read : 

That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  and  is  hereby 
authorized  to  make  five  military  reservations  from  the 
public  domain  in  the  state  of  California  or  in  the  territories 
of  Utah  and  New  Mexico  bordering  on  said  state  for  Indian 
purposes.  Provided  that  such  reservations  shall  not  contain 
more  than  twenty-five  thousand  acres  each  and  provided 
further  that  such  reservations  shall  not  be  made  on  any 
lands  inhabited  by  citizens  of  California  and  the  sum  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  is  hereby  appro 
priated  out  of  any  money  in  the  Treasury  not  otherwise 
appropriated  to  defray  the  expense  of  subsisting  the  Indians 
in  California  and  removing  them  to  said  reservation  for 
protection. 

General  Beale's  Indian  policy,  as  it  developed, 
was  warmly  indorsed  in  letters  from  the  Governor 
and  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  California  which 
they  addressed  to  the  President  of  the  United  States 


1 82  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

from  Vallejo,  California,  in  February,  1853.  An 
even  more  valuable  ally  than  Hon.  John  Bigler  the 
Governor,  developed  in  the  person  of  General 
Hitchcock,  who  was  continually  addressing  the 
Secretary  of  War  in  support  of  Beale's  policy. 
Writing  in  November,  1852,  General  Hitchcock 
says: 

I  deem  it  necessary  for  such  use  as  the  Hon.  Secretary  of 
War  may  think  proper  to  express  an  opinion  carefully 
formed  in  favor  of  the  plan  proposed  recently  by  Gen. 
Beale,  the  Superintendent  of  Indians  in  this  division  for 
adjusting  and  placing  on  a  permanent  basis  our  relations 
with  the  Indians  of  this  country.  ...  It  appears  to  me 
that  the  choice  of  the  Government  lies  necessarily  between 
accepting  Gen.  Beale's  plan  or  in  giving  the  Indians  over 
to  rapid  extermination  or  expulsion  from  the  state.  The 
objection  to  the  plan  is  the  apparently  new  policy  of  assum 
ing  direct  control  over  the  Indian  lands  and  providing  for 
the  Indians,  giving  them  the  alternative  of  accepting  such 
arrangements  as  the  Government  may  make  or  of  being 
treated  or  maltreated  at  the  pleasure  of  the  white  settlers. 

In  answer  to  this  it  should  be  considered  that  these 
Indians  have  never  been  recognized  by  the  Spanish  or 
Mexican  governments  as  having  independent  rights  in  the 
county  and  therefore  as  far  as  they  are  concerned  the  pro 
posed  policy  would  introduce  no  decided  change.  In  regard 
to  the  settlers  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that  there  is  serious 
difficulty  but  the  real  question  is  whether  they  shall  in  an 
unregulated  manner  determine  our  intercourse  with  the 
Indians,  inducing  expensive  wars  with  other  evils  or  whether 
the  Government  shall  establish  some  limits  and  rules  for 
this  intercourse. 

By  the  plan  proposed  a  small  portion  of  land  is  to  be  set 
apart  within  which  there  is  to  be  a  military  post  and  some 


Indian  Affairs  183 

provision  made  for  the  subsistence  of  the  Indians  to  be 
supplied  as  far  as  possible  from  their  labor.  Within  this 
reserve  the  Indians  are  to  be  protected  but  not  beyond  it. 
This  reserve  would  naturally  be  selected  near  the  moun 
tains,  leaving  the  latter  for  the  range  of  the  Indians 
extending  into  the  interior  without  limit. 

The  system  might  be  commenced  with  one  or  two  posts 
at  first  where  most  needed  as  on  the  head- waters  of  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  at  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  at  some 
point  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Sacramento,  and  the  sys 
tem  could  be  extended  as  the  requirements  of  the  country 
and  experience  might  indicate  the  necessity  for  it. 

The  present  course  tends  to  exasperate  a  large  body  of 
Indians,  a  remnant  of  which  in  a  very  few  years  will  be 
driven  beyond  the  Sierra  Nevada  carrying  with  them  a 
leaven  of  bitterness  among  extensive  tribes  with  which  we 
have  as  yet  no  intercourse.  They  would  also  carry  with  them 
some  knowledge  of  firearms  and  an  instructed  spirit  of  war 
hitherto  unknown  on  this  coast  and  the  result  would  not 
fail  to  be  the  most  savage  and  desperate  warfare  for  an 
indefinite  period,  making  a  pacific  transit  over  the  continent 
next  to  impossible  for  a  great  many  years. 

It  is  a  mistake,  in  my  judgment,  to  suppose  that  the 
Indians  on  this  coast  except  perhaps  a  few  digger  bands 
differ  materially  from  those  found  by  the  pilgrims  at  Ply 
mouth  from  whose  descendants  there  sprang  up  in  time  a 
Philip  and  a  Tecumseh.  It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  the 
seeds  of  dreadful  massacres  and  barbarities  are  not  already 
sown.  ...  It  is  of  manifest  importance  that  there  should 
be  harmony  of  action  between  the  Superintendent  of  Indian 
Affairs  and  the  military  commander  on  this  coast  and,  if  I 
am  to  be  retained  on  duty  here  I  beg  to  express  the  wish 
that  Mr.  Beale  may  be  continued  in  the  superintendence  of 
Indian  affairs.  He  has  a  more  extensive  acquaintance  with 
the  Indians  than  any  other  man  in  the  country  and  brings 
to  the  performance  of  his  duties  an  earnest  zeal,  a  humane 


184  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

spirit,    an    untiring    perseverance    and    an    honest     inde 
pendence. 

Agent  McKee,  in  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior  a  report  which  Mr.  Beale  endorsed,  was 
particularly  severe  in  his  criticism  of  some  mem 
bers,  indeed  even  of  a  small  class  of  the  border  popu 
lation.  He  says: 

In  the  meantime  I  design  appealing  to  the  Governor 
of  the  State  to  order  a  rigid  scrutiny  into  the  facts  of 
these  outrages  and  to  take  such  measures  as  may  be 
proper  to  bring  the  offenders  to  justice.  In  all  the  frontier 
settlements  there  are  many  men  from  Missouri,  Oregon, 
Texas,  etc.,  who  value  the  life  of  an  Indian  just  as  they  do 
that  of  a  coyote  or  a  wolf  and  embrace  every  opportunity  to 
shoot  them  down.  I  despair  of  seeing  the  peace  of  these 
settlements  fully  established  until  the  laws  of  the  state  are 
enforced  and  some  terrible  examples  made,  or  until  the 
government  of  the  United  States  sends  the  military  com 
mandant  of  this  division  the  men  and  the  means  to  estab 
lish  several  small  military  posts  to  protect  the  Indian  from 
these  attacks. 

The  most  flagrant  case  of  ruthless  killing  re 
ported  by  General  Beale  is  the  massacre  of  Trinity 
River.  Rewrites: 

v^ 

This  river  falling  into  the  Pacific  from  the  high  rugged 
country  some  distance  north  of  San  Francisco  is  noted  as 
the  best  in  the  country  for  salmon  fish  which  constitutes 
almost  the  whole  subsistence  of  the  Indians.  The  whites 
took  the  whole  river  and  crowded  the  Indians  into  the  ster 
ile  mountains  and  when  .they  came  back  for  fish  they  were 
usually  shot.  If  the  Indians  took  cattle  or  were  suspected 


Indian  Affairs  185 

of  taking  cattle  they  were  pursued  and  punished  and  their 
villages  sometimes  attacked.  In  the  spring  of  last  year 
some  Indians  were  charged  with  taking  cattle,  a  party  went 
against  their  village,  surrounded  it  at  night,  attacked  at 
daybreak,  killed  the  whole,  chiefly  consisting  of  women 
and  children,  the  men  being  absent,  except  one  woman  and 
child  who  were  taken  prisoners.  They  carried  home  a 
bag  full  of  scalps,  believed  to  be  about  130  and  all  with 
out  loss  to  themselves,  which  proves  the  character  of  the 
operation. 


There  are  of  course,  adds  General  Beale,  many 
right  thinking,  considerate  men  in  this  country  who 
deplore  this  savage  spirit  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
settlers;  but  living  so  far  from  the  county  seats 
and  with  their  own  lives  and  property  at  risk  they 
are  afraid  to  speak  out  as  they  otherwise  would. 

In  concluding  his  official  report  General  Beale 
made  the  following  recommendations.  Unhappily 
not  all  of  these  measures  were  approved. 


ist.  For  the  immediate  subsistence  and  support  of  the 
Indians  the  sum  of  half  a  million  dollars. 

2d.  For  their  permanent  support  and  protection  mili 
tary  reserves  where  a  few  soldiers  can  be  stationed  and 
where  they  will  support  themselves  by  labor. 

3d.  That  all  the  officers  employed  in  California  in 
the  Indian  service  shall  reside  on  these  reserves  or  among 
the  Indians.  I  myself  have  an  abode  between  the  Mari- 
posas  and  the  San  Joaquin  about  three  hundred  miles 
from  San  Francisco. 

4th.  That  the  Indian  agencies  shall  be  abolished  and 
six  sub-agents  be  appointed  at  about  fifteen  hundred 


1 86  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

dollars  each  to  reside  with  the   Indians  and  assist  them 
in  cultivation  as  well  as  discharging  other  duties. 

Washington,  Feb.  25,  1853. 

While  doing  the  best  he  could  for  the  Indians 
and  for  the  dignity  and  well-being  of  the  State  of 
California,  General  Beale  had  been  absolutely 
ruthless  in  his  campaign  against  corruption  and 
inefficiency  among  the  Indian  agents  and  the  con 
tractors  in  their  service.  With  an  eye  single  to  the 
public  service  and  the  interests  of  his  wards,  Gen 
eral  Beale  had  dismissed  the  venal  officials  without 
thought  of  personal  or  political  considerations,  and 
many  agents  were  also  removed  from  their  lucrative 
posts  pending  investigation  of  their  conduct. 

At  first,  and  again  at  the  end  of  Beale 's  ser 
vice,  he  was  heartily  supported  by  the  adminis 
tration  at  home  and  by  the  officials  of  the  Interior 
Department ;  however,  there  was  a  time,  an  inter 
regnum,  when  the  men  whom  Beale  had  discharged 
for  the  good  of  the  service,  and  the  malcontents 
still  in  the  service  who  were  fearful  that  their  short 
comings  might  any  day  attract  the  attention  of 
their  eagle-eyed  chief,  had  the  audacity  to  conspire 
against  their  superintendent.  The  administration 
was  not  particularly  friendly  at  this  juncture  with 
the  friends1  of  General  Beale. 


1  WASHINGTON,  April  2d,  1854. 
DEAR  EDWARD: 

I  received  your  letter  from  Panama  and  think  it  well  that  Mrs.  Beale 
join  you — you  have  not  much  favor  to  expect  frere,  and  only  fear  gets 
you  justice.  But  be  of  good  heart,  they  cannot  remove  you,  on  account 


Indian  Affairs  187 

California,  the  scene  of  his  administration,  and 
the  Calif ornians,  who  could  testify  as  to  its  value, 
were  far  away,  while  the  chorus  of  dismissed  and 
discredited  Indian  officials  were  assembled  in 
Washington  and  were  unhappily  sustained  by 
political  backing  of  practical  value. 

The  moment,  however,  Beale's  enemies  were 
forced  into  making  definite  charges,  their  over 
throw  and  confusion  were  near.  I  have  noticed  this 
trivial  and  as  it  would  seem  unavoidable  incident 
in  the  life  of  any  man  who  sets  his  face  sternly 
against  the  temptation  of  corrupting  influences, 
because  of  its  delicious  denouement.  While  General 
Beale  was  under  fire  his  friends  waited,  but  formed 
themselves  into  a  court  of  honor,  when  the  charges 
fell  to  the  ground  and  Beale's  vilifiers  were  routed 
and  disgraced.  Later  the  members  of  the  court 
of  honor  published  in  the  Washington  papers,  ac 
cording  to  the  custom  then  prevailing,  the  following 
statement  of  what  had  occurred.  It  was  well 
received  and  the  incident  closed. 

THE  END  OF  A  SLANDER. — The  newspapers  of  Saturday 
last  published  a  telegraphic  despatch,  giving  an  account  of 
a  personal  encounter  the  day  previous  between  Lieut. 
Beale,  and  one ,  a  Commissioner  of  Indian  affairs,  at  one 

of  the  hold  you  have  on  the  public  mind.  Your  expedition  and  success 
in  colonizing  the  Indians  does  the  business  for  you.  Write  full  accounts 
of  your  operations  with  the  Indians,  have  them  published — and  they 

secure  you.     is  a  low  fellow  and  naturally  hates  a  man  like  you. 

But  I  have  him  on  the  anvil  and  will  hammer  him. 

Your  old  friend, 

THOMAS  H.  BENTON. 


1 88  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

of  the  hotels  at  Washington.  The  causes  which  led  to  the 
affair,  as  we  have  gathered  them  from  those  cognizant  of  all 
the  circumstances,  were  these. 

It  is  well  known  that  Lieutenant  Beale,  owing  to  his 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  habits  of  the  Indians  and 
their  mode  of  life  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Fillmore,  Super 
intendent  of  Indian  Affairs  in  California.  He  held  the 
office  until  after  the  election  of  the  present  President,  and 
by  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties  gave  entire  satisfac 
tion  to  the  Government.  He  was  subsequently  reappointed 
to  the  situation  he  then  held  by  President  Pierce  at  the 
earnest  solicitation  of  those  who  knew  his  ability  to  manage 
the  Indians  in  that  part  of  our  country. 

About  a  year  since  the  administration  deemed  it  neces 
sary  for  political  purposes  to  appoint  a  mere  politician,  to 
the  place  held  by  Lieut.  Beale,  and  as  some  pretext  for  his 
removal  seemed  to  be  called  for,  it  was  given  out  in  Wash 
ington,  and  then  sent  all  over  the  country,  that  he  was  a 
defaulter  to  the  Government  in  a  large  amount.  This  false 
charge  reached  him  in  California,  and  he  at  once  left  his 
post,  returned  to  his  home  with  his  vouchers  and  submitted 
them  to  the  proper  officers  for  examination  and  settlement. 

After  a  delay  of  some  eight  months — during  all  of  which 
time  he  was  present  to  answer  any  objections  which  might 
be  made  to  his  disbursements — the  accounting  officers  of  the 
Treasury  Department  finally  passed  his  accounts,  which 
were  afterwards  taken  up  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
in  person,  and  he  was  allowed  every  claim  he  had  made  in 
expending  some  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars 
of  the  public  money — not  a  cent  of  which  had  adhered  to 
his  hands. 

Further  than  this,  the  officers  who  had  charge  of  his 
accounts  informed  the  Superintendent  that  his  vouchers 
were  examined  with  more  than  the  usual  scrutiny,  owing  to 

the  reports  which  had  been  given  out  by  as  to  the 

delinquency,  and  they  congratulated  him  on  the  entire 


Indian  Affairs  189 

satisfaction  which  their  correctness  had  given  them.  This 
was  a  triumphant  vindication  from  the  charges  which  had 
been  made  by  a  bad  man  against  the  probity  and  honor  of  a 
faithful  and  efficient  officer. 

The  article  charging  Mr.  Beale  with  being  a  defaulter  to 
the  Government  appeared  originally  in  The  Evening  Star 
at  Washington.  After  his  accounts,  which  had  passed  the 
searching  examination  before  alluded  to,  were  admitted 
to  be  correct,  a  number  of  his  personal  friends  called  upon 
the  editor  of  the  Star,  and  were  frankly  informed  that  the 

information  had  been  furnished  by ,  and  that  he, , 

had  himself  written  the  article  charging  Lieut.  Beale  with  the 
defalcation!  Mortified  that  he  should  thus  be  stabbed  in 
the  back  by  a  functionary  of  the  Government,  at  whose 
hands  he  had  a  right  to  expect  justice,  Mr.  Beale  embraced 
an  opportunity  which  offered  at  the  hotel  where  he  so 
journed,  and  properly  punished  the  vilifier  and  slanderer, 
by  slapping  his  face  with  his  open  hand  in  public — and  this 
is  the  extent  of  the  "outrage"  perpetrated  by  the  Lieutenant. 
If  an  assault  can  be  justified  in  any  case  then  was  this 

public  castigation  right  and  proper.     attempted  to 

ruin  the  reputation  of  an  honest  man  in  his  absence.  His 
accusation  went  abroad,  and  was  believed  by  those  who 
did  not  know  the  facts;  and  now  the  vindication  of  the 
charges,  extorted  from  his  accuser,  and  his  public  punish 
ment  will  go  together — the  antidote  to  the  poison. 

Do  what  he  could,  and  Beale  was  certainly 
tireless  in  his  activity,  and  despite  the  fact  that  his 
humane  policy  was  warmly  supported  by  all  the 
best  people  in  the  country,  official  and  unofficial, 
General  Beale  soon  recognized  that  with  the  slender 
means  at  his  command  he  could  not  secure  for  his 
wards  the  protection  to  which  they  were  entitled 
and  which  had  indeed  been  promised  in  solemn 


Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 


treaty.     Beale  sums  up  the  situation  in  a  letter  to 
Washington  written  at  this  time. 

The  condition  of  many  of  the  Indian  tribes  is  truly 
deplorable,  they  are  driven  from  their  hunting  and  fishing 
grounds  and  are  in  danger  of  starving.  Many  of  them  are 
made  to  work  without  compensation  and  massacres  are 
taking  place  all  the  time.  Only  fifteen  miles  from  San 
Francisco  the  Indians  are  often  enslaved  and  made  to  work 
without  pay  and  when  the  work  season  is  over  they  are 
turned  out  to  starve. 

Naturally  the  Indians,  persecuted  and  starving 
as  they  were,  endeavored  to  help  themselves  and 
naturally  enough  at  last  in  true  Indian  fashion; 
white  emigrants  and  colonists  were  massacred  in 
Shasta  and  in  Scott  Valley  and  what  was  more 
alarming,  the  news  came  of  a  general  rising  of  the 
Indians  at  Visalia  and  of  their  apparent  prepara 
tions  to  wage  a  war  of  extermination  against  the 
whites  throughout  the  country. 

At  this  juncture,  and  it  was  certainly  a  case  of 
better  late  than  never,  the  California  authorities 
bethought  them  of  General  Beale  and  of  the  extra 
ordinary  powerful  personal  influence  he  exercised 
over  the  Indians  who  had  so  long  been  his  wards 
and  who  ever  found  in  him  a  generous  protector. 
He  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  situation  and  was 
soon  able  to  conjure  the  dangers  and  smooth  out 
the  difficulties  with  which  it  fairly  bristled.  The 
measures  which  General  Beale  adopted  and  which 
proved  so  efficient  in  the  circumstances  are  de- 


Indian  Affairs  191 

scribed  with  characteristic  modesty  in  the  follow 
ing  report  to  the  Governor.  To-day,  with  the 
Indians  gone  and  populous  cities  rising  on  their 
happy  hunting  grounds,  the  most  remarkable 
feature  of  the  campaign  that  followed  is  the  fact 
that  United  States  officials  and  even  United  States 
troops  acted  throughout  in  perfect  subordination  to 
General  Beale  who  in  this  instance  held  his  com 
mission  from  the  State  of  California.  This  happy 
and  most  unusual  co-operation  was  due  in  part  at 
least  to  the  great  good-will  of  Gen.  John  E.  Wool, 
U.  S.  A.,  who  at  this  time  most  fortunately  was  in 
command  of  the  Department  of  the  Pacific.  Gen 
eral  Wool  was  a  warm  personal  friend  of  Beale  and 
a  sturdy  supporter  of  his  Indian  policy  and  as 
several  personal  letters  written  by  him  to  Beale1 
in  later  years  attest,  he  recognized  that  at  this 
critical  moment  in  the  history  of  the  settlements  on 
the  Pacific,  General  Beale's  high  reputation  for  fair 
dealing  and  his  deep  insight  into  Indian  character 
were  of  more  value  than  several  regiments  of 
dragoons  and  these,  it  might  be  added,  were  not 
immediately  available,  while  General  Beale  was. 

The  report  of  General  Beale  is  dated  San  Fran 
cisco,  July  1 2th,  1855,  and  reads  as  follows : 

Governor:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  in  obedience 
to  instructions  received  from  you  I  proceeded  with  all 
despatch  to  the  scene  of  the  Indian  difficulties.  I  left  San 
Francisco  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  May  last,  accom- 

1  See  Beale  papers  in  MS. 


192  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

panied  by  my  Aide-de-camp  Colonel  Edward  Byre.  At 
midnight  on  the  5th  day  of  June,  I  encamped  on  the  banks 
of  the  King's  River.  In  conversation  with  Mr.  Campbell, 
sub-Indian  agent  stationed  at  this  point,  I  learned  that  in 
consequence  of  the  continued  excitement  of  the  whites,  more 
particularly  those  living  in  and  about  the  villages  of  Wood- 
ville  and  Visalia,  rumors  had  reached  the  Indians  that 
active  hostilities  would  be  at  once  commenced  against  them 
and  they  in  consequence  had  fled  to  the  mountains. 

I  despatched  early  next  morning  Mr.  Campbell,  who 
speaks  their  language,  with  five  bullocks  and  a  message  to 
them  asking  them  to  appoint  some  spot  where  I  might  hold 
a  council.  In  the  meantime  I  continued  on  to  Elbow 
Creek.  Here  I  found  Lieutenant  Livingston,  Third  Artil 
lery  encamped  with  some  thirty  of  his  men.  I  also  fortu 
nately  met  here  Lieut.  Allston  of  the  dragoons  who  were 
encamped  some  ten  miles  to  the  south.  These  gentlemen 
corroborated  the  reports  I  had  received  relative  to  the 
violent  measures  contemplated  by  the  whites.  I  then 
visited  Visalia  and  Woodville  and  after  consulting  with 
several  prominent  citizens  I  deemed  it  best  to  call  a  general 
meeting  of  the  people  in  the  afternoon.  It  was  very  fully 
attended  and  those  present  seemed  to  think  that  nothing 
but  a  very  severe  punishment  of  the  Indians  would  prevent 
future  molestation  of  the  whites.  I  fully  explained  to  them 
the  power  that  had  been  confided  to  me  by  your  Excellency 
and  urged  upon  them  a  more  conciliatory  spirit.  I  also 
invited  several  well-known  citizens  to  accompany  me  to  the 
proposed  council  ground.  This  plan  met  with  their  appro 
bation  and  Mr.  Campbell,  after  several  days'  absence, 
returned  with  the  information  that  the  Indians  had  de 
spatched  runners  in  every  direction  to  call  in  their  scattered 
bands  and  that  they  would  meet  me  in  a  valley  about  thirty- 
five  miles  from  Elbow  Creek. 

I  ordered  Lieut.  Allston's  command  of  some  forty  dra 
goons  together  with  Lieut.  Livingston's  command  of  thirty 


Indian  Affairs  193 

men  to  accompany  me  as  escort.  Early  next  morning  we 
took  up  our  line  of  march ;  the  weather  was  excessively  hot 
and  Lieut.  Livingston's  men  being  on  foot  suffered  exceed 
ingly  from  the  heat  and  thirst  and  it  was  nearly  midnight 
before  they  reached  camp.  The  next  morning  I  held  council, 
some  sixty  or  seventy  Indians  being  present.  The  following 
tribes  were  represented  by  chiefs  or  captains:  Monoes, 
Chokimauves,  En  Tennysich,  Coilla,  Yacolle,  Talumne,  Palu 
Paloushiss,  Wirkachoumnies,  Openochies,  Tache  Noo-tune- 
too  and  Chooeminees.  Mr.  O.  K.  Smith  from  Woodville  and 
Dr.  George  from  Visalia  represented  the  citizens;  Messrs. 
Campbell  and  Jennings,  sub-Indian  agents  were  also  present. 

Through  Gregorio,  my  Indian  interpreter,  a  very  intelli 
gent  man  who  accompanied  Gen.  Fremont  to  the  Atlantic 
States  and  back  and  speaks  English  very  well,  I  told  them 
the  object  of  my  visit  was  if  possible  to  make  peace;  that  it 
was  idle  for  them  to  attempt  to  cope  with  the  whites  in  war 
fare,  that  unless  they  would  unconditionally  promise  to  go 
where  I  deemed  it  best  for  them  to  live  I  had  come  prepared 
to  inflict  summary  and  severe  chastisement  upon  them. 
They  seemed  very  anxious  for  peace  and  after  talking  to 
them  for  about  two  hours  I  dismissed  them  to  reflect  well 
upon  what  I  had  said.  Later  in  the  afternoon  I  sent  for 
them  again  and  told  them  that  all  their  people  living  upon 
the  waters  of  the  King  River  must  go  at  once  to  the 
Reservation  on  King  River,  and  that  all  their  people  living 
to  the  south  of  this  stream  must  go  to  the  Tocole  Valley 
and  to  this  they  joyfully  assented. 

I  then  distributed  among  them  as  presents  the  articles 
listed  in  the  paper  marked  A  accompanying  my  report. 
Finding  now  that  a  very  large  tribe  living  on  and  about 
Tule  Lake  were  not  represented,  I  despatched  Indian  run 
ners  that  night  to  them  with  a  message  that  unless  they 
met  me  in  five  days  from  that  time  in  the  Tocole  valley  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a  treaty  I  should  deem  them  to  be 
at  war  and  treat  them  accordingly. 
13 


194  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

The  next  morning,  the  loth  instant  I  broke  up  the  camp 
and  returned  to  Elbow  Creek.  On  the  morning  of  the  I4th 
I  went  to  the  Couilla  valley,  some  ten  miles  beyond  Wood- 
ville  with  an  escort  of  dragoons.  Here  over  three  hundred 
Indians  were  gathered  and  some  forty  citizens  were  also 
present.  The  Olanches,  Piquirinals,  Coyotes,  Wacksaches, 
and  Couillas  were  present.  They  said  they  were  delighted 
to  meet  me  and  were  perfectly  willing  to  do  anything  I 
desired  of  them.  They  further  agreed,  as  the  others  had 
that  they  would  preserve  peace  and  remain  in  their  present 
camp  until  the  arrival  of  Col.  Henley  the  Indian  agent. 
[Here  is  inserted  a  list  of  property  destroyed  by  the  Indians 
which  I  omit.] 

The  peace  to  be  preserved  requires  first  the  presence  of 
the  Indian  Commissioner  and  next  the  presence  of  about 
twenty-five  dragoons  in  the  field  constantly.  I  went  to 
Fort  Tejon,  and  remained  there  constantly  until  the  arrival 
of  Col.  B.  L.  Beall  commanding  the  fort,  of  whom  I  made  a 
request  in  writing  that  he  should  send  a  detachment  into 
the  field  at  once.  He  answered  that  he  could  not  do  so 
unless  he  received  instructions  from  Gen.  Wool.  This 
post  should  be  reinforced  at  once  with  another  company  so 
that  one  company  could  be  constantly  in  the  field.  There 
would  never  be  any  trouble  with  the  Indians  if  this  were 
done. 

I  arrived  here  via  San  Jose  on  the  night  of  July  loth. 
Hoping  that  my  efforts  will  meet  with  your  approbation, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 
Your  Excellency's  most  obedient  servant, 

EDWARD  F.  BEALE, 
Brigadier-General, 
5th  District. 

To  the  end  of  his  life  Beale  was  a  generous  and 
self-sacrificing  friend  of  the  Indians  and  to  the 
end,  as  will  be  seen,  the  Indians  were  loyal  to  their 


Indian  Affairs  195 

protector.  It  required  courage  to  tell  the  truth  con 
cerning  the  treatment  of  the  Modocs  which  pro 
voked  their  uprising,  especially  at  a  moment  when 
the  whole  country  was  in  mourning  for  the  gallant 
Canby.  It  required  courage  and  it  meant  unpopu 
larity,  but  without  hesitation  General  Beale  stepped 
into  the  breach  with  the  following  letter,  which 
was  first  published  in  The  Republican  of  Chester, 
Pennsylvania,  on  April  25,  1873.  It  was  widely 
copied  throughout  the  country  and  helped  to 
steady  public  opinion  with  the  result  that  a  more 
civilized  view  of  the  situation  was  taken  by  the 
Government.  It  was  the  last  signal  service  that 
Beale  was  able  to  render  his  former  wards.  He  did 
it  cheerfully,  though  it  cost  him  many  friends  in 
and  out  of  the  army. 

General  Beale's  letter  reads: 

In  the  heat  of  a  great  popular  excitement  caused  by  the 
loss  of  a  most  useful  and  exemplary  officer,  it  is  very  doubt 
ful  if  a  fair  judgment  can  be  had  in  relation  to  the  causes 
which  have  produced  the  event  we  all  deplore.  General 
Canby  had  served  his  country  with  such  efficient  zeal  in  two 
great  wars,  and  was  possessed  of  so  many  of  the  virtues 
which  attached  him  to  the  community,  that  the  intelligence 
of  his  death  was  received  as  a  shock  by  the  whole  people  of 
the  United  States.  Perhaps  there  was  not  in  the  entire  army 
a  man  whose  public  and  private  character  stood  so  high,  or 
who  was  more  generally  and  justly  beloved,  and  the  manner 
of  his  death  has  added  to  the  public  grief  a  sentiment  of 
bitterness  toward  the  Indians  which  it  seems  nothing  but 
their  extermination  will  satisfy.  With  but  few  exceptions 
the  press  of  the  country  is  eagerly  demanding  blood  for  blood. 


196  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Let  us  pause  for  a  moment  before  committing  ourselves  to 
a  policy  more  savage  and  remorseless  than  that  of  the  Mo- 
docs  whom  we  propose  to  smite  hip  and  thigh.  Let  us  ask 
ourselves  if  we  are  not  reaping  what  we  have  sown,  and  if 
the  treachery  to  which  the  gallant  and  lamented  Canby  fell 
a  victim  is  not  the  repetition  of  a  lesson  which  we  ourselves 
have  taught  these  apt  scholars,  the  Indians?  Are  we  to 
think  ourselves  blameless  when  we  recall  the  Chivington 
massacre?  In  that  affair  the  Indians  were  invited  to  coun 
cil  under  flags  of  truce,  and  the  rites  of  hospitality,  sacred 
even  among  the  Bedouins  of  the  desert,  were  violated  as 
well  as  all  military  honor,  for  these  poor  wretches,  while 
eating  the  sacred  bread  and  salt,  were  ruthlessly  fallen  upon 
and  slaughtered  to  the  last  man.  The  Piegan  massacre 
was  another  affair  in  which  we  industriously  taught  the 
uncultivated  savages  the  value  of  our  pledges;  and  if  we 
are  correctly  informed  the  very  beginning  of  the  Modoc 
war  was  an  attempt  while  in  the  act  of  council  to  which 
they  had  been  invited  to  make  Captain  Jack  and  two  others 
prisoners.  As  to  the  bloody  character  of  Indian  warfare, 
as  far  as  we  can  see,  it  is  carried  on  by  us  with  about  the 
same  zeal.  We  read  of  a  sergeant  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States  who  in  the  late  attack  on  the  Modocs  "took 
the  scalp  of  Scar-face  Charley  who  was  found  wounded  in 
the  lava  beds."  And  if  we  desire  to  feel  very  good  and 
free  from  barbarism  we  have  only  to  read  what  comes  to  us 
side  by  side  with  news  from  the  Modocs  of  the  humane 
and  civilized  treatment  we  are  meting  out  to  our  brothers 
in  Louisiana,  who  differ  from  us  on  political  questions;  or 
recall  the  massacre  and  robbery  and  mutilation  of  unoffend 
ing  Chinese,  which  was  committed  in  broad  daylight  by 
American  citizens  in  California  a  year  or  so  ago. 

The  Modoc  Indians  are  fighting  for  a  right  to  live  where 
God  created  them.  The  whole  testimony  of  their  neighbors 
when  the  war  against  them  was  first  talked  about,  is  to  the 
effect  that  they  were  intelligent  and  inoffensive;  and  we 


Indian  Affairs  197 

have  exasperated  them  by  insisting  on  our  right,  which 
they  do  not  see,  to  remove  them  to  a  distant  and  unknown 
country.  Having  been  taught  by  us  a  violation  of  flags  of 
truce,  they  have  followed  our  example,  and  unhappily  a 
noble  victim  to  our  teaching  of  falsehood  and  crime  is  the 
result;  whereupon  there  goes  out  a  cry  of  extermination 
throughout  the  land. 

We  enter  our  protest  against  this  course,  and  we  ask  for 
justice  and  a  calmer  consideration  by  the  public,  of  the 
Indian  affairs  of  our  country.  We  cannot  restore  the  good 
men  who  have  been  killed,  by  an  indiscriminate  slaughter 
of  all  the  tribe  of  the  Modocs;  and  it  does  not  become  a 
Christian  people  to  hunt  to  death  the  poor  remnant  of 
those  from  whom  we  have  already  taken  the  broad  acres  of 
thirty-seven  states  of  this  Union. 


CHAPTER  XI 
THE  FORGOTTEN  CAMEL  CORPS 

Transportation  Problems  of  the  Fifties  —  To  Provision 
Army  Posts  in  Southwest,  Beale  Suggests  Camel  Train 
to  the  War  Department  —  Enthusiastic  Reception  of 
the  Novel  Idea  by  Secretary  Jefferson  Davis  —  David 
Dixon  Porter  Sent  to  Tunis  and  Syria  to  Secure  the 
Camels  —  Camel  Corps  in  the  Scinde  Campaign  — 
Beale's  Report  to  the  War  Department  of  his  Camel 
Journey  from  San  Antonio  to  El  Paso  —  San  Francisco 
Papers  Enthusiastic  over  the  New  Beast  of  Burden  — 
Davis  Resigns  from  the  War  Department  and  the 
Camels  are  Neglected  —  Beale  Herds  the  Survivors  on 
his  Ranch  —  A  Camel  Tandem  —  Value  of  Beale's 
Journals  to  Future  Historians  of  the  Southwestern  and 
Pacific  States. 


IN   1854   th-e  War   Department  had  its  hands 
quite  full  in  endeavoring  to  solve  the  difficult 
problem  of   army  transportation  to  the  re 
mote  'stations  of  the  newly  acquired  territory  in  the 
Southwest.     This  vast  region,  added  to  our  pos 
sessions  by  the  Mexican  War  and  the  subsequent 
purchase,  was  chiefly  peopled  by  Indians  and  Mexi 
cans  who  were  held  in  check  with  much  difficulty 
and  no  little  danger  by  a  few  scattered  army  posts. 

198 


The  Forgotten  Camel  Corps          199 

To  furnish  the  desired  transportation  facilities 
all  manner  of  plans  and  agencies  were  proposed. 
When  Beale  presented  himself  at  the  Department 
with  his  suggestion  of  a  camel  corps  it  was  regarded 
as  quixotic  it  is  true,  but  at  all  events  as  having  as 
much  substance  as  a  relayed  line  of  balloons  which 
was  at  this  time  warmly  advocated  for  the  same 
purpose. 

Beale  naturally  did  not  pretend  that  he  had 
enjoyed  any  personal  experience  with  camels  as 
beasts  of  burden  but  he  simply  overwhelmed  the 
Department  with  excerpts  and  citations  from  books 
of  travel  in  Asia  and  Africa  all  going  to  show  the 
great  usefulness  of  the  "Ship  of  the  Desert/'  in  des 
ert  places.  In  after  years  General  Beale  told  his  son 
that  the  idea  came  to  him  once  when  he  was,  proba 
bly  the  first  white  man  who  ever  did  so,  exploring 
Death  Valley1  with  Kit  Carson.  He  never  trav 
elled  so  light  but  what  there  was  at  least  one  good 
book  in  his  pack.  On  this  occasion  it  chanced  to  be 
Abbe  Hue's  Travels  in  China  and  Tartary.  Read 
ing  this  book,  Beale  was  convinced  that  by  the 
introduction  of  camels  the  great  desert  of  Arizona 
could  be  robbed  of  half  its  terrors.  Kit  Carson 

1  It  is  characteristic  of  Beale  that  not  a  line  concerning  this  adventur 
ous  trip  is  to  be  found  in  his  papers  and  diaries.  The  Death  Valley 
journey  was  but  one  of  a  series  of  systematic  explorations  which  he 
made,  whenever  opportunity  presented  and  generally  in  the  company  of 
Carson,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  all  the  passes  from  the  then  bar 
ren  plains  of  Arizona  into  the  Eden  of  California.  The  moment  Beale 
had  satisfied  himself  that  Death  Valley  was  not  the  path  of  empire 
which  he  sought,  he  drew  a  line  through  that  route  and  went  on  to 
the  exploration  of  others  which  seemed  more  promising. 


2OO  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

seems  to  have  remained  sceptical  but  on  his  return 
to  Washington  Beale  was  so  fortunate  as  to  find 
a  fellow-enthusiast  in  the  person  of  Jefferson  Davis 
who  had  recently  entered  the  cabinet  as  Secretary 
of  War. 

Finding  such  an  important  person  as  the  Sec 
retary  of  War  in  a  receptive  mood,  Beale  lost 
no  time  in  setting  about  the  preliminary  step  of 
" catching  the  camels/'  Mr.  Davis  and  Beale 
were  successful  in  infusing  the  Navy  Department 
with  some  of  their  enthusiasm,  the  store  ship 
Supply  was  soon  fitted  out  for  Camel- Land  and 
Beale  induced  his  friend  and  kinsman,  David 
Dixon  Porter,  who  was  later  to  win  imperishable 
laurels  in  the  Civil  War,  to  apply  for  the  command. 

In  May,  1855,  Porter  sailed  for  Tunis.  Neither 
he  nor  any  man  of  his  command  had  ever  seen  a 
camel,  outside  of  a  circus,  and  he  wisely  decided  to 
go  slowly  and  experiment  at  first  on  a  small  scale. 
In  Tunis  he  purchased  two  camels  and  shipped 
them  for  the  purpose  of  studying  their  habits  before 
the  entire  herd  was  taken  in  tow  or  rather  on 
board.  In  October  the  Supply  arrived  at  Constan 
tinople  and  from  here  Porter  visited  the  Crimea 
and  saw  something  of  the  campaign  in  progress. 
While  he  went  at  it  with  his  characteristic  thorough 
ness,  hitherto  the  camel-mission  had  appealed  to 
Porter's  well-known  sense  of  humor  rather  than  to 
any  belief  in  its  utility.  In  the  Crimea,  however, 
he  met  several  English  officers  who  had  served  with 
General  Napier  in  the  Scinde  campaign.  They 


vO 


"a 

a    ! 

***        tuO 

o    o 


The  Forgotten  Camel  Corps         201 

told  him  of  the  valuable  services  which  the  camel 
corps,  one  thousand  men  mounted  on  five  hundred 
dromedaries  had  rendered,  and  Porter  immediately 
set  sail  for  Alexandria  and  Smyrna  where  thirty- 
three  camels  were  carefully  and  prayerfully  pur 
chased.  With  this  strange  deck  cargo  Porter 
arrived  off  Indianola,  Texas,  in  April,  1856,  and 
only  one  of  his  ungainly  passengers  had  died. 
Porter  was  immediately  sent  back  to  Asia  Minor 
and  in  the  summer  of  1856  arrived  off  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi  with  forty-four  more  very 
sea-sick  camels. 

General  Beale,  now  commanding  the  first  and 
last  camel  corps  ever  organized  on  the  American 
Continent,  was  from  the  very  first  enthusiastic  in 
his  praise  of  the  desert  ships.  He  assured  all  who 
addressed  him  on  the  subject,  and  it  should  be 
remembered  that  popular  interest  was  almost  as 
generally  excited  by  this  new  method  of  transpor 
tation  as  it  is  interested  in  aviation  to-day,  that  the 
camel  was  to  be  the  pack  animal  of  the  immediate 
future,  on  the  American  as  well  as  the  African  and 
Asian  deserts.  To  a  friend,  General  Beale  wrote 
upon  his  arrival  in  El  Paso  in  July,  1857:  "When 
exactly  the  right  breed  is  at  our  disposal  and  when 
one  or  two  Turks  or  Arabs  to  the  manner  born  have 
been  induced  to  remain  long  enough  to  familiarize 
our  people  with  the  habits  of  the  camels,  complete 
success  will  undoubtedly  be  attained." 

Writing  from  El  Paso  on  July  24,  1857,  General 
Beale  gives  the  following  official  account  of  his  ex- 


202  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

traordinary  journey,  which  promised  to  be  epoch- 
making,  to  the  Hon.  J.  B.  Floyd,  Secretary  of  War. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  my  arrival  at  this  place 
with  the  expedition  under  my  command.  Thus  far  we  have 
progressed  rapidly  and  without  a  single  day's  delay  since 
leaving  San  Antonio. 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  report  the  entire  success 
of  the  expedition  with  the  camels  so  far  as  I  have  tried  it. 
Laboring  under  all  the  disadvantages  arising  out  of  the 
fact  that  we  have  not  one  single  man  who  knows  anything 
whatever  of  camels  or  how  to  pack  them,  we  have  never 
theless  arrived  here  without  an  accident  and  although  we 
have  used  the  camels  every  day  with  heavy  packs,  have  fewer 
sore  backs  and  disabled  ones  by  far  than  would  have  been 
the  case  travelling  with  pack  mules.  On  starting  I  packed 
nearly  seven  hundred  pounds  on  each  camel,  which  I  fear 
was  too  heavy  a  burden  for  the  commencement  of  so  long 
a  journey,  they,  however  packed  it  daily  until  that  weight 
was  reduced  by  our  diurnal  use  of  it  as  forage  for  our 
mules. 

I  trust  they  may  stand  the  remainder  of  the  journey  as 
well  as  they  have  thus  far  and  I  see  no  reason  whatever  to 
doubt  it.  If  they  should,  the  experiment  of  their  usefulness 
is  demonstrated  fully,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  a  larger  number 
will  be  imported.  For  Indian  scouts  with  infantry  com 
panies  in  countries  as  badly  supplied  with  water  as  Texas 
and  New  Mexico,  they  would  prove  an  invaluable  aid  though 
those  we  have  with  us  are  not  the  most  valuable  kind  for 
burden  being  all  females  with  three  exceptions. 

The  regular  burden  camel  would  make  the  same  journey 
we  have  made  and  in  the  same  time  with  twelve  hundred 
pounds  as  easily  as  these  with  half  the  weight.  I  desire  to 
call  your  attention  particularly  to  the  fact  that  they  live  and 
keep  on  food  which  the  mules  reject  and  which  grows  in  the 
greatest  luxuriance  in  the  most  barren  of  our  American 


The  Forgotten  Camel  Corps         203 

deserts,  namely,  the  greasewood,  a  small  bitter  bush,  useless 
for  any  purpose  I  have  been  able  to  discover  except  as  being 
a  valuable  food  for  the  camels.  Although  they  eat  grass 
when  staked  out  to  it,  if  left  to  themselves  they  will 
instantly  leave  the  best  gramma  and  browse  greedily  on 
bushes  of  any  kind  whatever  in  preference. 

I  was  told  by  the  highest  authority  on  leaving  San  An 
tonio  that  not  one  of  them  would  ever  see  El  Paso;  that 
they  would  give  out  on  the  way.  This  prediction  has  not 
been  verified  by  fact.  The  road  from  here  to  San  Antonio 
is  certainly  the  most  terribly  trying  on  unshod  feet  I  have 
ever  seen.  This  is  so  true  that  I  have  not  an  unshod 
work  mule  or  horse  that  is  not  lame.  With  the  camels  I 
have  not  to  this  time  a  single  tender-footed  animal.  I 
attribute  this  not  so  much  to  the  spongy  natured,  gutta 
percha-like  substance  which  forms  their  feet,  as  to  the 
singular  regularity  and  perpendicular  motion  with 
which  the  foot  is  raised  and  put  down.  In  horses 
and  mules  there  is  always  more  or  less  of  a  slip  and 
shuffle,  but  the  camel  lifts  his  foot  clearly  and  per 
pendicularly  from  the  ground,  extends  the  leg  and  replaces 
it  squarely  and  without  the  least  shuffle  or  motion  to 
create  friction. 

They  are  the  most  docile,  patient  and  easily  managed 
creatures  in  the  world  and  infinitely  more  easily  worked 
than  mules.  From  personal  observation  of  the  camels  I 
would  rather  undertake  the  management  of  twenty  of 
them  than  of  five  mules.  In  fact  the  camel  gives  no 
trouble  whatever.  Kneeling  down  to  receive  his  load  it 
may  be  put  on  without  hurry  at  the  convenience  of  the 
master  and  the  process  of  packing  is  infinitely  easier  than 
mule  packing.  These  animals  remain  quietly  on  their 
knees  until  loaded.  Contrast  the  lassoing,  the  blinding, 
the  saddling,  the  pulling  and  hauling  of  ropes,  the  adjust 
ment  of  the  pack  on  an  animal  like  the  mule,  flying  around 
in  all  directions,  to  say  nothing  of  a  broken  limb  received 


204  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

from  one  of  its  numerous  kicks,  with  the  patient  quiet  of 
the  camel  kneeling  for  its  load. 

We  had  them  on  this  journey  sometimes  for  twenty-six 
hours  without  water  exposed  to  a  great  degree  of  heat,  the 
mercury  standing  at  one  hundred  and  four  degrees  and 
when  they  came  to  water  they  seemed  to  be  almost  indiffer 
ent  to  it.  Not  all  drank  and  those  that  did,  not  with  the 
famished  eagerness  of  other  animals  when  deprived  of 
water  for  the  same  length  of  time. 

If  the  Department  intends  carrying  their  importation  of 
the  camels  further,  after  this  present  experiment  has  been 
more  fully  tested,  and  I  have  reported  my  success  or  the 
want  of  it,  I  would  strongly  recommend  a  new  saddle  to  be 
prepared  for  them,  to  replace  the  present  clumsy  contriv 
ance,  and  also  that  a  corps  of  Mexicans  be  employed  in 
herding  and  using  them.  The  Americans  of  the  class  who 
seek  such  employment  are  totally  unfit  for  it,  being  for  the 
most  part  harsh,  cruel  and  impatient  with  animals  entrusted 
to  their  care.  'The  Greeks  and  Turks  who  are  with  us 
know  no  more  of  camels  than  any  American  living  in  New 
York  knows  of  buffalo. 

The  animal  is  used  in  their  own  country  but  they  know 
nothing  about  it.  My  only  object  in  employing  them  at 
the  high  rate  they  are  paid  was  that  they,  knowing  the 
harmless  character  of  the  camel,  would  give  confidence  to 
the  others  employed  in  the  management  of  an  animal  which, 
with  all  its  gentleness,  has  a  most  ferocious-looking  set  of 
teeth  which  it  displays  with  a  roar  rivalling  that  of  the 
royal  Bengal  tiger.  The  two  Turks,  Hassan  and  Suliman, 
who  really  did  know  all  about  camels,  and  who  were  the 
only  ones  that  did  that  I  could  discover,  refused  to  accom 
pany  the  expedition,  being  desirous  of  returning  home  to 
their  own  country. 

We  are  getting  on  rapidly  and  very  pleasantly  and  I 
hope  to  be  in  Washington  again  on  Christmas  Day, 
etc. 


The  Forgotten  Camel  Corps         205 

There  are  available  few  contemporaneous  ac 
counts  of  how  the  first  and  the  last  American 
camel  corps  looked  to  the  man  in  the  street  or  the 
scout  on  the  trail.  The  camels  had  warm  friends 
and  partisans,  the  chief  of  whom  was  easily  General 
Beale,  and  they  had  bitter  and  tireless  enemies, 
many  of  whom,  it  was  openly  charged,  were  not 
wholly  disconnected  with  the  incipient  mule  trust 
then  growing  up  in  Missouri.  On  this  account 
we  are  all  the  more  grateful  for  the  following 
unpartisan  though  unsigned  statement  of  things 
seen  which,  dated  Los  Angeles,  January  21,  1858, 
appeared  in  several  of  the  San  Francisco  papers 
and  was  widely  copied  throughout  the  country. 

Gen.  Beale  and  about  fourteen  camels  stalked  into  town 
last  Friday  week  and  gave  our  streets  quite  an  Oriental 
aspect.  It  looks  oddly  enough  to  see,  outside  of  a  menag 
erie,  a  herd  of  huge  ungainly  awkward  but  docile  animals 
move  about  in  our  midst  with  people  riding  them  like 
horses  and  bringing  up  weird  and  far-off  associations  to  the 
Eastern  traveller,  whether  by  book  or  otherwise,  of  the 
lands  of  the  mosque,  crescent  or  turban,  of  the  pilgrim 
mufti  and  dervish  with  visions  of  the  great  shrines  of  the 
world,  Mecca  and  Jerusalem,  and  the  toiling  throngs  that 
have  for  centuries  wended  thither,  of  the  burning  sands  of 
Arabia  and  Sahara  where  the  desert  is  boundless  as  the 
ocean  and  the  camel  is  the  ship  thereof. 

These  camels  under  charge  of  Gen.  Bea^e  are  all  grown 
and  serviceable  and  most  of  them  are  well  broken  to  the  sad 
dle  and  are  very  gentle.  All  belong  to  the  one  hump  species 
except  one  which  is  a  cross  between  the  one  and  the  two 
hump  species.  This  fellow  is  much  larger  and  more  power 
ful  than  either  sire  or  dam.  He  is  a  grizzly-looking  hybrid, 


206  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

a  camel-mule  of  colossal  proportions.  These  animals  are 
admirably  adapted  to  the  travel  across  our  continent  and 
their  introduction  was  a  brilliant  idea  the  result  of  which  is 
beginning  most  happily.  At  first  Gen.  Beale  thought  the 
animals  were  going  to  fail,  they  appeared  likely  to  give  out, 
their  backs  got  sore,  but  he  resolved  to  know  whether  they 
would  do  or  not.  He  loaded  them  heavily  with  provisions, 
which  they  were  soon  able  to  carry  with  ease,  and  thence 
came  through  to  Fort  Tejon,  living  upon  bushes,  prickly 
pears  and  whatever  they  could  pick  up  on  the  route. 
They  went  without  water  from  six  to  ten  days  and  even 
packed  it  a  long  distance  for  the  mules,  when  crossing  the 
deserts.  They  were  found  capable  of  packing  one  thousand 
pounds  weight  apiece  and  of  travelling  with  their  load  from 
thirty  to  forty  miles  per  day  all  the  while  finding  their  own 
feed  over  an  almost  barren  country.  Their  drivers  say 
they  will  get  fat  where  a  jackass  would  starve  to  death. 
The  "mule"  as  they  call  the  cross  between  the  camel  and 
the  dromedary  will  pack  twenty-two  hundred  pounds. 

The  animals  are  now  on  their  return  to  the  Colorado 
River  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  provisions  to  Gen.  Beale 
and  his  military  escort  who,  it  is  conjectured,  will  penetrate 
from  thence  as  far  as  possible  into  the  Mormon  country. 
Afterwards  Gen.  Beale  will  return  by  the  new  wagon  route 
that  he  has  lately  surveyed  to  verify  it  and  so  on  to  Wash 
ington.  He  is  expected  to  reach  the  Capital  before  the 
first  of  March  in  order  to  lay  his  report  before  Congress. 

When  Mr.  Davis  left  the  War  Department  the 
camels  lost  a  most  influential  friend,  although  Gen 
eral  Beale  remained  their  most  enthusiastic  admirer 
to  the  end.  As  is  shown  in  the  foregoing  reports, 
the  camels  gave  an  excellent  account  of  themselves 
on  even  the  most  trying  journeys  but  the  ordinary 
teamsters  and  mule-drivers  were  afraid  of  them  and 


The  Forgotten  Camel  Corps          207 

in  the  end  this  silent  opposition  prevailed.  Many 
camels  were  allowed  to  escape  from  the  army  posts 
where  they  were  herded  and  not  a  few  died  from 
neglect.  Some  of  the  camels  that  were  allowed  to 
regain  their  liberty  seem  to  have  increased  and  mul 
tiplied,  and  for  years  they  wandered  over  the  plains 
of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico  where  they  were 
a  terrifying  object  to  man  and  beast,  to  all 
Indians  and  whites  who  had  not  enjoyed  Oriental 
experiences. 

The  remnant  of  the  camels  were  finally  con 
demned  by  an  army  board  as  unsuitable  for  trans 
portation  and  sold  under  the  hammer.  General 
Beale,  loyal  to  the  end,  bought  them  and  marched 
them  off  to  Tejon  where  they  had  free  quarters  as 
long  as  they  lived.  One  of  Truxtun  Beale's 
earliest  experiences,  which  any  boy  might  envy, 
was  in  driving  with  his  father  from  Tejon  to  Los 
Angeles,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  miles,  in  a  sulky 
behind  a  tandem  team  of  camels  with  whom  Gen 
eral  Beale,  when  necessary,  would  carry  on  conver 
sation  in  Syrian  which  he  had  with  characteristic 
energy  taught  himself  for  this  purpose. 

During  the  years  1854-5  and  1856  General  Beale 
was  fully  occupied  with  the  supervision  and  con 
trol  of  Indian  affairs,  in  California,  Nevada,  and 
at  the  Capital  and  it  is  apparent  from  his  journals 
that  the  battles  he  was  compelled  to  fight  in 
Washington  were  less  to  his  liking  than  the  open 
hostility  which  he  had  so  often  met  with  on  the 
banks  of  the  Colorado.  Beale's  road-breaking  and 


208  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

building  operations,  never  entirely  suspended,  were 
resumed  vigorously,  thanks  to  a  substantial  appro 
priation  by  Congress,  early  in  1857  and  were 
continued  almost  without  interruption  until  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  or  rather  until  the  inau 
guration  of  President  Lincoln  by  whom  Beale  was 
immediately  appointed  Surveyor-General  of  Cali 
fornia. 

The  journey  from  Fort  Defiance  to  the  Colorado 
River  to  survey  the  proposed  routes  of  the  wagon 
road  was  made  during  the  summer  of  1857  and  the 
winter  of  1857-8.  General  Beale's  report  and  log 
of  land  travel  was,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Secretary 
of  War,  ordered  printed  during  the  first  session  of 
the  35th  Congress  and  it  is  entombed  in  the 
national  archives  of  that  year  as  Executive  Docu 
ment  No.  124. 

The  report  upon  the  wagon  road  projected  from 
Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  the  Colorado  and  the 
narrative  of  the  journey  which  was  undertaken 
during  the  winter  of  1858-9  was  ordered  printed 
by  the  36th  Congress  during  its  first  session  and 
bears  the  caption  Executive  Document  No.  42. 

These  interesting  Journals  did  not  receive  the 
close  attention  or  the  just  appreciation  which  they 
deserved.  Beale's  services  were,  it  is  true,  highly 
considered  and  no  step  relating  to  the  Pacific  Coast 
was  taken  or  even  considered  in  Washington  with 
out  consulting  him,  but  the  details  of  his  adventur 
ous  travels  were  little  known  and  Beale  was  the 
last  man  in  the  world  to  push  his  exploits  into 


The  Forgotten  Camel  Corps          209 

prominence.  The  roads  were  built,  however,  in 
great  part,  and  the  new  commonwealths  on  the 
Pacific  were  bound  to  the  older  States  by  a  physical 
tie  which  the  shock  of  the  impending  conflict  when 
it  came  could  not  snap.  The  roads  were  built  and 
the  Pacific  Coast  was  saved  to  the  Union,  but  the 
details  and  the  thrilling  incidents  of  the  great  task 
so  quietly  accomplished  were  little  noticed  and  soon 
forgotten. 

In  a  volume  of  limited  scope  such  as  the  present, 
it  is  impossible  to  reproduce  many  more  pages 
of  General  Beale's  graphic  Journals  and  I  shall 
not  venture  to  condense  them.  I  shall,  however, 
print  in  full  General  Beale's  covering  despatches  to 
the  War  Department  in  which,  in  a  few  words,  he 
tells  of  the  objects  and  of  the  results  of  his  journeys, 
and  I  shall  also  reproduce  a  few  detached  entries 
from  the  Journals  themselves,  sufficient,  I  hope,  to 
demonstrate  that  in  the  rarely  turned  and  never 
reprinted  pages  of  these  official  reports  is  to  be 
found  a  wealth  of  picturesque  material  indispen 
sable  to  the  understanding  of  the  Western  move 
ment  and  the  early  days  in  California.  When  a 
definitive  history  of  the  Southwest  territory  and 
the  Central  Plains,  out  of  which  so  many  States 
have  been  carved,  is  written,  the  pages  of  General 
Beale's  Journals  will  be  found,  I  believe,  to  supply 
the  indispensable  data  as  well  as  the  glowing  pic 
tures  of  the  primitive  life  which  Captain  John 
Smith's  Narrative  offers  to  the  historian  of  the  Old 
Dominion,  which  the  Diary  of  Bradford  makes 


210  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

accessible  to  the  modern  writer  on  the  Massachu 
setts  Bay  settlements,  and  which  the  Journals  of 
Bonneville,  of  Lewis,  and  of  Clark  reveal  to  the 
historian  of  those  States  "  where  rolls  the  Oregon." 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  WAGON  ROAD  SURVEY  FROM  FORT  DEFIANCE 
TO  CALIFORNIA 

General  Beale's  Report  to  the  Secretary  of  War — From 
Zuni  to  the  Banks  of  the  Little  Colorado — Praise  of 
the  Camels,  Especially  their  Swimming — Extracts 
from  Beale's  Journal — Howard's  Spring,  Famous  for 
Indian  Massacres — Water  Shortage — Mount  Buchanan 
and  Mount  Benton — Indian  Adventure  of  a  Geologist 
— Captured  Indians  Retained  as  Guides  to  the  Colo 
rado — First  Sight  of  the  Sierra  Nevada — Winter  at 
Fort  Tejon — The  Return  Journey — First  Steamer  on 
the  Colorado — Last  Entry  in  the  Journal — "We  have 
Tested  the  Value  of  the  Camel,  Marked  a  new  Road  to 
the  Pacific,  and  Travelled  Four  Thousand  Miles. " 

GENERAL  BEALE'S  report  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  on  his  explorations  for  a  wagon 
road  from  Fort  Defiance,  in  New  Mexico, 
to  the  western  borders  of  California,   communi 
cated  to  Congress,  in  answer  to  a  resolution  of  the 
Senate,  reads  as  follows: 

COLORADO  RIVER,  CALIFORNIA,  October  18,  1857. 

SIR: 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  my  arrival  in  California,  after 
a  journey  of  forty-eight  days.     It  gives  me  pleasure  to 

211 


212  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

inform  you  that  we  have  met  with  the  most  complete 
success  in  our  exploration  for  a  wagon  road  from  Fort 
Defiance,  New  Mexico,  to  this  State. 

In  a  hurried  letter  of  this  kind,  it  is  not  possible  that  I 
should  give  you  much  of  the  detail  of  our  exploration. 
Leaving  that  for  my  daily  journal  to  disclose,  I  shall 
endeavor  briefly  to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  character  of  the 
country,  as  well  as  the  advantages  of  the  road  I  have 
explored. 

Leaving  Zuni,  the  point  from  which  the  road  should 
properly  start,  we  found  the  country  easy  and  rolling  and 
bearing  good  grass,  with  water  at  convenient  intervals, 
until  our  arrival  at  the  banks  of  the  Little  Colorado.  This 
I  found  a  fine  stream,  the  bottom  of  which  is  wide  and 
fertile,  filled  with  excellent  grass,  and  the  banks  of  the 
stream  itself  fringed  with  a  heavy  growth  of  cotton  wood. 
The  whole  region  through  which  it  runs  is  of  a  character 
to  make  it  most  valuable  to  the  agriculturist  and  grazier. 
After  following  this  stream  for  several  days,  and  fording  it 
with  our  wagons  without  difficulty,  we  left  it  and  pursued 
our  course  westward  to  San  Francisco  Mountain.  The 
country  at  the  foot  of  that  mountain  (a  gradually  ascending 
plain)  although  somewhat  rocky,  in  places  was  covered 
with  the  finest  gramma-grass,  with  timber  sufficient  for 
fuel,  and  water  in  abundance. 

From  this  point,  twenty  miles  from  the  base  of  the  moun 
tain,  until  we  commenced  the  descent  of  its  western  slope, 
the  country  is  undulating,  with  frequent  extensive  level 
plateaus,  well  watered  with  springs,  and  is  by  far  the  most 
beautiful  region  I  ever  remember  to  have  seen  in  any  portion 
of  the  world.  A  vast  forest  of  gigantic  pine,  intersected 
frequently  by  extensive  open  glades,  sprinkled  all  over  with 
mountain  meadows  and  wide  savannahs,  filled  with  the 
richest  grasses,  was  traversed  by  our  party  for  many 
successive  days. 

From  the  western  slope  to  the  country  dividing  the  head 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  213 

of  Bill  Williams'  fork  from  the  Colorado  River,  the  only 
change  is  in  the  growth  of  the  timber,  cedar  of  the  largest 
size,  for  the  most  part,  taking  the  place  of  pine;  but  the 
character  of  the  soil  remains  unchanged,  and  is  of  the  same 
fertile  nature,  bearing  in  all  parts  the  richest  gramma-grass. 

From  the  divide  of  Bill  Williams  to  the  Colorado  the 
country  assumes  a  more  barren  aspect,  and  becomes  a 
desert  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  excepting  in  the  bottom 
lands,  for  a  few  miles  in  width  on  either  side.  Arrived  at 
the  river,  I  crossed  the  wagons  and  people  without  difficulty. 
At  the  point  of  our  crossing  I  found  it  to  be  about  200 
yards  wide,  a  smooth  surface  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
up  and  down,  unobstructed  by  bars  or  rocks,  flowing  at  the 
rate  of  three  miles  an  hour,  19  feet  in  depth  in  mid-channel, 
apparently  perfectly  navigable  for  steamers  of  largest  size. 
Questioning  the  Indians  closely,  I  derived  from  them  satis 
factory  information  that  it  bore  the  same  character  the 
entire  distance  from  that  place  to  Fort  Yuma,  some  200 
miles  below. 

You  have  thus,  sir,  in  a  few  words,  a  short  account  of  our 
journey  on  the  road  we  were  sent  to  explore.  Of  its  advan 
tages,  in  detail,  I  have  not  time  in  this  letter  to  speak, 
except  in  general  terms.  I  enumerate  them. 

It  is  the  shortest  from  our  western  frontier  by  300  miles, 
being  nearly  directly  west.  It  is  the  most  level:  our 
wagons  only  double- teaming  once  in  the  entire  distance, 
and  that  at  a  short  hill,  and  over  a  surface  heretofore 
unbroken  by  wheels  or  trail  of  any  kind.  It  is  well  watered : 
our  greatest  distance  without  water  at  any  time  being 
twenty  miles.  It  is  well  timbered,  and  in  many  places  the 
growth  is  far  beyond  that  of  any  part  of  the  world  I  have 
ever  seen.  It  is  temperate  in  climate,  passing  for  the  most 
part  over  an  elevated  region.  It  is  salubrious:  not  one  of 
our  party  requiring  the  slightest  medical  attendance  from 
the  time  of  our  leaving  to  our  arrival.  It  is  well  grassed: 
my  command  never  having  made  a  bad  grass  camp  during 


214  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  entire  distance  until  near  the  Colorado.  It  crosses  the 
great  desert  (which  must  be  crossed  by  any  road  to  Califor 
nia)  at  its  narrowest  point.  It  passes  through  a  country 
abounding  in  game,  and  but  little  infested  with  Indians. 

On  the  entire  road,  until  our  arrival  at  the  Mohave  vil 
lages,  we  did  not  see,  in  all,  over  a  dozen  Indians,  and  those 
of  a  timid  and  inoffensive  character.  At  the  point  of  the 
crossing  of  the  Colorado,  grain,  vegetables,  and  breadstuffs 
may  be  obtained  in  any  quantity  from  the  Indians,  who 
cultivate  extensively,  though  rudely,  the  fertile  bottom 
lands  of  the  Colorado.  It  is  passable  alike  in  winter  and 
summer.  These  are  the  advantages  which  I  claim  for  the 
road  which  we  have  discovered,  marked,  and  explored, 
from  New  Mexico  to  this  State. 

I  shall  mention,  then,  only  one  important  fact,  that  it 
leaves  to  the  option  of  the  emigrant  the  choice  of  entering 
California  either  at  the  city  of  Los  Angeles,  by  the  regularly 
travelled  road,  in  the  most  fertile  part  of  the  southern 
portion  of  the  State,  or  of  turning  off  from  that  river,  by  an 
easy  road,  frequently  travelled,  and  coming  into  the  head 
of  the  great  Tulare  Valley,  and  by  a  good  road  through 
settlements  all  the  way,  extending  to  Stockton,  Sacramento, 
and  the  more  northern  parts  of  the  State. 

Our  work,  although  arduous,  has  been  rendered  pleasant 
by  the  beautiful  character  of  the  country  through  which  we 
have  passed,  and  the  salubrious  nature  of  the  climate;  and, 
although  the  double  duty  of  exploring  and  marking  the 
road  has  fallen  upon  us,  we  have  passed  through  it  without 
an  accident  of  any  kind  whatever. 

An  important  part  in  all  of  our  operations  has  been  acted 
by  the  camels.  Without  the  aid  of  this  noble  and  useful 
brute,  many  hardships  which  we  have  been  spared  would 
have  fallen  to  our  lot;  and  our  admiration  for  them  has 
increased  day  by  day,  as  some  new  hardship,  endured 
patiently,  more  fully  developed  their  entire  adaptation  and 
usefulness  in  the  exploration  of  the  wilderness.  At  times 


i 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  215 

I  have  thought  it  impossible  they  could  stand  the  test  to 
which  they  have  been  put,  but  they  seem  to  have  risen 
equal  to  every  trail  and  to  have  come  off  of  every  explora 
tion  with  as  much  strength  as  before  starting.  Unsupported 
by  the  testimony  of  every  man  of  my  party,  I  should  be 
unwilling  to  state  all  that  I  have  seen  them  do.  Starting 
with  a  full  determination  that  the  experiment  should  be  no 
half-way  one,  I  have  subjected  them  to  trials  which  no 
other  animal  could  possibly  have  endured;  and  yet  I  have 
arrived  here  not  only  without  the  loss  of  a  camel,  but  they 
are  admitted  by  those  who  saw  them  in  Texas  to  be  in  as 
good  condition  to-day  as  when  we  left  San  Antonio. 

In  all  our  lateral  explorations,  they  have  carried  water 
sometimes  for  more  than  a  week  for  the  mules  used  by  the 
men,  themselves  never  receiving  even  a  bucketful  to  one  of 
them.  They  have  traversed  patiently,  with  heavy  packs, 
on  these  explorations,  countries  covered  with  sharpest 
volcanic  rock,  and  yet  their  feet,  to  this  hour,  have  evinced 
no  symptom  of  tenderness  or  injury.  With  heavy  packs, 
they  have  crossed  mountains,  ascended  and  descended 
precipitous  places  where  an  unladen  mule  found  it  difficult 
to  pass,  even  with  the  assistance  of  the  rider  dismounted, 
and  carefully  picking  its  way.  I  think  it  would  be  within 
bounds  to  say,  that,  in  these  various  lateral  explorations, 
they  have  traversed  nearly  double  the  distance  passed  over 
by  our  mules  and  wagons. 

Leaving  home  with  all  the  prejudice  invariably  attaching 
to  untried  experiments,  and  with  many  in  our  camp  opposed 
to  their  use,  and  looking  forward  confidently  to  their 
failure,  I  believe  at  this  time  I  may  speak  for  every  man  in 
our  party,  when  I  say  there  is  not  one  of  them  who  would 
not  prefer  the  most  indifferent  of  our  camels  to  four  of  our 
best  mules ;  and  I  look  forward,  hopefully,  to  the  time  when 
they  will  be  in  general  use  in  all  parts  of  our  country. 

Reading  the  accounts  of  travellers  who  had  used  them  a 
great  deal  in  the  East,  and  who,  I  presumed,  were  entirely 


2i 6  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

acquainted  with  their  habits  and  powers,  I  was  rendered 
extremely  anxious  on  the  subject  of  their  swimming;  fore 
seeing  that,  however  useful  they  might  be  as  beasts  of 
burden  in  inhabited  parts  of  the  country,  their  usefulness 
would  be  impaired,  if  not  entirely  lost,  to  those  who  desired 
to  use  them  where  ferry  boats  and  other  such  conveniences 
did  not  exist. 

The  enterprising  priest,  Father  Hue,  whose  travels  have 
lately  been  published,  in  speaking  of  his  detention  at  the 
Yellow  River,  in  China,  because  of  the  impossibility  of 
crossing  the  camels,  concludes  by  saying  "for  this  animal 
cannot  swim  " ;  hence  my  great  anxiety  for  the  entire  success 
of  this  experiment  with  camels  was  very  much  increased 
on  my  arrival  at  the  Colorado  River.  All  my  pleasure  in 
looking  upon  this  noble  stream,  and  all  the  satisfaction  I 
derived  in  the  reflection  of  a  successful  journey  accom 
plished,  was  clouded  by  this  doubt.  However,  the  effort 
was  to  be  made,  and  after  having  resolved  in  my  own  mind 
what  to  do  in  the  event  of  failure,  I  determined  to  test  the 
truth  of  the  statements  which  I  had  seen  in  relation  to  that 
fact.  The  first  camel  brought  down  to  the  river's  edge 
refused  to  take  the  water.  Anxious,  but  not  discouraged, 
I  ordered  another  one  to  be  brought,  one  of  our  largest  and 
finest ;  and  only  those  who  have  felt  so  much  anxiety  for  the 
success  of  an  experiment  can  imagine  my  relief  on  seeing  it 
take  to  the  water,  and  swim  boldly  across  the  rapidly  flowing 
river.  We  then  tied  them,  each  one  to  the  saddle  of  another, 
and  without  the  slightest  difficulty,  in  a  short  time  swam 
them  all  to  the  opposite  side  in  gangs,  five  in  a  gang;  to  my 
delight,  they  not  only  swam  with  ease,  but  with  apparently 
more  strength  than  horses  or  mules.  One  of  them,  heading 
up  stream,  swam  a  considerable  distance  against  the 
current,  and  all  landed  in  safety  on  the  other  side. 

On  reaching  the  settlements  of  California,  I  have  con 
cluded  to  despatch  Lieutenant  Thorburn,  U.  S.  Navy, 
immediately  to  Washington  with  the  notes  and  astronomi- 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  217 

cal  observations,  in  order  that  he  may  prepare  a  map  of  our 
route. 

In  closing  this  report,  I  desire  to  say  a  word,  in  conclusion, 
of  the  officer  who  bears  it.  His  reputation  in  his  own  ser 
vice  would  render  unnecessary  any  commendations  of  mine, 
but  the  department  of  which  you  are  the  head,  being 
unacquainted  with  his  merits,  I  desire  to  make  them  known 
to  you.  He  has  evinced  on  this  journey  an  activity,  zeal, 
intelligence,  and  courage,  rarely  to  be  found  combined  in 
any  one  man,  and  has  been  to  me,  not  only  a  most  able 
assistant,  but  an  agreeable  companion  throughout  the  entire 
exploration ;  and  I  ask  as  an  especial  favor  from  the  depart 
ment,  if  the  work  is  to  be  continued,  that  he  be  not  detached 
from  his  present  duty. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

E.  F.  BEALE, 

Superintendent. 
Hon.  JOHN  B.  FLOYD, 
Secretary  of  War, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

The  following  are  a  few  extracts  from  Beale's 
Journal  while  engaged  on  the  wagon  road  survey 
which  is  outlined  in  the  above  report.  The  Journal 
was  also  ordered  printed  by  resolution  of  the 
Senate. 

July  7, 1857.  We  started  at  4:30  A.M.,  and  trav 
elled  twelve  miles,  when  we  encamped  for  breakfast. 
Our  crossing-place  was  called  Cedar  Bluffs.  The 
grass  is  very  fine  and  water  abundant  in  holes 
filled  by  the  late  rain.  We  were  passed  on  the 
road  this  morning  by  the  monthly  El  Paso  mail, 
on  its  way  up,  by  which  I  received,  forwarded  by 


218  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

some  of  my  friends  at  San  Antonio,  a  box  about 
two  feet  square,  for  which  the  moderate  charge  of 
twenty  dollars  was  made!  The  dangers  of  this 
road,  however,  justified  any  price  for  such  matters. 
Scarcely  a  mile  of  it  but  has  its  story  of  Indian 
murder  and  plunder;  in  fact,  from  El  Paso  to  San 
Antonio  is  but  one  long  battle-ground — a  surprise 
here,  robbery  of  animals  there.  Every  spring  and 
watering-place  has  its  history  or  anecdote  con 
nected  with  Indian  violence  and  bloodshed.  The 
country  through  which  we  have  travelled  to-day 
is  entirely  destitute  of  timber,  except  the  mesquite 
bush,  which  grows  almost  everywhere  in  Texas. 
The  road  though  rolling  is  excellent. 

July  8.  Up  at  half -past  two  and  off  at  daybreak 
without  breakfast.  We  travelled  eleven  miles  to 
Howard's  Spring,  where  we  stopped  to  breakfast 
and  water  the  animals.  This  place  seems  to  have 
been  famous  for  Indian  surprises.  Near  it  we 
passed  the  graves  of  seven  who  had  been  killed 
by  the  savages,  and  still  nearer,  within  a  hundred 
yards  or  so,  the  bones  of  a  sergeant,  and  some  two 
or  three  dragoons  who  were  here  killed  by  them. 
The  bodies  had  apparently  been  disinterred  by 
animals,  and  the  ghastly  remains  of  the  poor  fel 
lows  who  had  perished  there  were  scattered  on  the 
ground.  Captain  Lee  (U.  S.  Army)  gave  us  the 
history  of  the  fight,  which  occurred  some  months 
ago. 

Howard's  Spring  is  a  small  hole  containing  ap 
parently  about  a  quarter  of  a  barrel  of  water,  but 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  219 

is  in  reality  inexhaustible.  It  is  directly  under  a 
bluff  of  rock  in  the  bed  of  a  dry  creek,  and  to  get  at 
the  water  it  is  necessary  to  descend  about  eight 
feet  by  rude  steps  cut  in  the  rock;  the  water  has  to 
be  passed  up  in  buckets,  and  the  animals  watered 
from  them.  There  is  but  little  grass  here,  and  no 
timber  but  greasewood  and  mesquite,  and  not 
much  of  that;  a  few  stunted  cedars  that  grow 
around  the  bluff  of  the  spring  are  neither  large 
enough  for  shade  or  fuel. 

The  rain  has  brought  the  grass  forward  wonder 
fully,  and  with  it  an  abundance  of  beautiful  flowers, 
so  that  the  prairie  for  the  last  few  days  has  been 
filled  with  perfume  and  richly  colored  flowers, 
which  would  have  been  no  disgrace  to  the  most 
costly  hothouse.  The  whole  of  the  country  is 
vastly  improved  by  these  grateful  showers,  which 
have  clothed  it  everywhere  with  verdure,  and 
filled  the  air  with  fragrance. 

Of  large  game  we  have  seen  but  little,  but 
turkeys  and  partridges  abound  in  great  numbers; 
in  fact,  the  whistle  of  "Bob  White "  is  with  us  all 
the  time. 

The  camels  came  into  camp  with  us.  We  find 
one  great  trouble,  and  the  only  one,  in  managing 
them  is  that  we  know  nothing  about  the  method 
of  packing  them,  and  have  it  all  to  learn.  In  conse 
quence  of  our  want  of  knowledge  in  this  particular, 
we  have  several  with  sore  backs,  which,  however,  I 
am  glad  to  observe,  heal  much  more  rapidly 
than  similar  abrasures  on  the  backs  of  horses  or 


220  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

mules.  As  soon  as  we  discover  one  to  be  getting 
sore,  it  is  immediately  freed  of  its  burden,  and  in 
a  day  or  two  is  ready  for  service  again.  They 
seem  almost  entirely  indifferent  to  the  best  grass, 
and  to  prefer  any  kind  of  bush  to  it.  To-day  we 
found  another  food  they  seem  particularly  to  relish, 
the  name  of  which  we  do  not  know.  The  wild 
grape-vine  is  a  great  favorite  with  them,  and  as 
it  grows  plentifully,  they  will  fare  well  on  it.  It 
seems  that  they  like  most  the  herbs  and  boughs  of 
bitter  bushes,  which  all  other  animals  reject.  The 
more  I  see  of  them  the  more  interested  in  them  I 
become,  and  the  more  I  am  convinced  of  their 
usefulness.  Their  perfect  docility  and  patience 
under  difficulties  render  them  invaluable,  and  my 
only  regret  at  present  is  that  I  have  not  double  the 
number. 

After  remaining  a  few  hours  at  Howard 's  Spring 
we  resumed  our  march,  and  soon  regained  the 
plain.  At  the  crest  of  the  hill,  as  we  came  upon 
the  level  land  again,  we  found  a  new-made  grave, 
probably  another  added  to  the  long  list  of 
Indian  victims  with  which  the  entire  trail  is 
filled. 

We  encamped  without  water  on  the  open  prairie; 
grass  good,  but  no  timber  whatever. 

This   evening  many   of  our  party   have   seen 
Indians,  but  for  me,  "Ah,  sinner  that  I  am,  I  was 
not  permitted  to  witness  so  glorious  a  sight/' 
encourage  the  young  men,  however,  in  the  belief 
that  deer,  bushes,  etc.,  which  they  have  mistaken 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  221 

for  Indians,  are  all  veritable  Comanches,  as  it 
makes  them  watchful  on  guard  at  night. 

Sept.  1 8. — Camp  17.  ...  We  leave  here  to-day 
at  noon  to  explore  this  great  plain  and  shall 
endeavor  to  go  as  nearly  west  as  possible  to  the 
Colorado  Grande.  I  should  suppose  this  plain  to 
be,  at  its  widest  part,  from  eighty  to  one  hundred 
miles  in  width.  To  our  left,  that  is  to  the  south 
and  southwest,  a  range  of  mountains  seems  to 
terminate  in  long  cape-like  mesas  which  extend 
into  the  plain  we  are  traversing.  Ahead  the  view 
is  unbounded,  only  the  blue  points  of  a  mountain 
appearing  far  in  the  distance.  The  weather  is 
clear  and  warm,  making  the  uncertainty  of  water 
ahead  rather  unpleasant. 

The  slopes  of  the  mesas  on  our  left  seem  to  be 
covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  pine  timber.  The 
nearest  is  about  ten  miles  south  of  us.  Leaving 
our  supper  camp  at  dark  we  travelled  by  night, 
and  the  night  dark,  for  ten  miles  across  the  country 
to  the  northwest,  and  so  level  was  the  surface  that 
not  a  wagon  stopped  for  a  moment.  Going  ahead 
with  two  or  three  of  my  party  I  made  fires  every 
three  or  four  miles,  as  guides  to  the  wagons,  and 
such  was  the  level  character  of  the  country  that 
those  behind  me  told  me  they  could  frequently  see 
the  flash  of  my  match  as  I  would  light  it  to  kindle 
the  fire.  In  gathering  greasewood  bushes  for  one 
of  these  fires  Thorburn  picked  up  in  his  hand  a 
rattlesnake,  but  fortunately  the  night  was  so  cool 
that,  I  presume,  the  reptile  was  torpid  with  cold, 


222  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

so  that  when  the  fire  blazed  up  I  shot  him  with 
my  pistol  where  Thorburn  had  dropped  him. 

Resuming  our  march  at  sunrise  we  travelled 
twelve  miles,  the  country  assuming  a  slightly  more 
rolling  character  as  we  advanced.  We  crossed 
many  broad  and  well-beaten  Indian  trails  all  going 
to  the  southwest  and  northeast  but  none  toward 
the  direction  we  were  travelling.  Our  guide,  how 
ever,  still  retained  his  confident  air  and  assured  me 
there  was  no  doubt  of  our  finding  water  a  short 
distance  beyond. 

A  half  mile  further  and  he  came  back  to  tell  that 
the  distant  mountain,  towards  which  our  course 
was  directed,  was  not  the  one  he  thought  and  that 
he  was  completely  lost.  I  ought  to  have  killed 
him  there  but  did  not. 

We  were  now  thirty-two  miles  from  water  and 
in  a  country  entirely  tinknown.  Encamping  at 
once,  I  despatched  the  two  dromedaries  to  the 
east,  while,  with  a  few  men  on  our  strongest  horses, 
I  started  to  the  west.  On  our  line  we  travelled 
through  some  low  hills  and  following  an  Indian 
trail  came  suddenly  upon  a  most  wonderful  sight. 
This  was  a  chasm  in  the  earth  or  apparently  a 
split  in  the  very  centre  of  a  range  of  hills  from  the 
top  to  the  bottom. 

Seeing  that  the  Indians  had  descended  I  deter 
mined  to  try  it,  so  picking  out  the  least  precipitous 
part  and  scrambling  down  and  leading  our  horses 
and  zigzagging,  we  at  last  reached  the  bottom. 
Indian  signs  were  abundant  in  the  caves  on  either 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  223 

side  and  a  trail  led  up  the  middle  of  the  ravine. 
From  appearances  I  should  judge  the  Indians 
wintered  here  after  gathering  the  pifion  on  the 
surrounding  mountainsides.  Finding  no  water 
or  the  appearance  of  any  we  turned  our  faces 
toward  home.  Arriving  at  camp  I  found  the 
dromedary  men  had  found  a  river  (the  little  Color  - 
ado,  I  presume)  about  sixteen  or  twenty  miles  off 
but  very  rough  to  approach. 

Our  animals  were  now  beginning  to  suffer  very 
much,  having  been  almost  constantly  at  work  for 
thirty-six  hours  without  water;  and  one  of  the 
most  painful  sights  I  have  ever  witnessed  was  a 
group  of  them  standing  over  a  small  barrel  of 
water  and  trying  to  drink  from  the  bung-hole, 
frantic  with  distress  and  eagerness  to  get  at  it. 
The  camels  seemed  to  view  this  proceeding  with 
great  contempt  and  kept  quietly  browsing  on  the 
grass  and  the  bushes.  .  .  .  Hitching  up  the  teams 
we  commenced  our  retreat  at  dark  and  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  it  was  found  necessary  to 
turn  the  animals  out  and  drive  them  to  water. 

The  moment  they  were  released  they  started 
off  in  a  gallop,  for  well  they  remembered  the  last 
water  we  had  left  and  they  did  not  cease  galloping 
until  they  reached  the  creek.  I  arrived  with 
Thorburn  at  seven  in  the  morning,  the  camels  were 
sent  on  in  advance  and  shortly  after  our  arrival 
here,  although  like  the  rest  of  us  they  had  been 
on  the  road  all  night,  they  were  started  back  with 
eight  or  ten  barrels  of  water  for  the  camp  at  the 


224  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

wagons.  Six  of  the  camels  are  worth  half  the 
mules  we  have  though  we  have  some  good  ones. 
My  admiration  for  the  camels  increases  daily  with 
my  experience  of  them.  The  harder  the  test  they 
are  put  to  the  more  fully  they  seem  to  justify  all 
that  can  be  said  of  them. 

October  9. — Camp  25.  ...  Passing  the  point, 
our  doubts  were  all  set  at  rest  most  satisfactorily. 
The  stream  turned  abruptly  to  the  westward  and  in 
that  direction  a  glorious  view  broke  upon  us.  For 
sixty  miles  an  immense  plain  extended  to  the  west 
only  bounded  by  a  distant  range  of  mountains 
in  that  direction,  through  which  we  thought  we 
saw  such  great  depressions  as  to  make  a  passage 
easy.  This  we  trust  is  the  Colorado  range. 
Directly  west  is  a  huge  mountain  which  I  called 
Mount  Buchanan  and  connected  with  it  another 
which  I  called  Mount  Bent  on.  Altogether  the 
prospect  is  the  finest  we  have  had  on  the  road. 

Many  Indian  signs  are  presented  about  our 
camp.  A  few  hundred  yards  below  is  a  rancher ia 
deserted,  likely,  by  its  people  on  our  approach.  It 
probably  contained  some  thirty  or  forty  savages. 
.  .  .  We  came  nearly  ten  miles  to-day;  six  on  a 
southwesterly  course.  The  fresh  Indian  signs 
induce  me  to  believe  water  may  be  found  quite 
near  us  in  the  morning  'but  we  encamped  too  late 
this  evening  to  look  for  it. 

October  10. — Camp  26.  While  waiting  in  camp 
for  the  mules  which  this  morning  had  been 
sent  up  the  creek  to  water,  our  geologist  came  into 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  225 

camp  much  excited  to  inform  us  that  while  en 
gaged  in  cracking  stones  on  the  mountainside,  three 
Indians  had  crept  up  to  his  gun,  a  short  distance 
from  him,  and  after  taking  it  had  drawn  their  bows 
upon  him  and  he  was  obliged  to  beat  a  rapid  retreat 
to  camp,  which  was  fortunately  not  over  half  a 
mile  from  him.  I  immediately  sent  my  three  boys, 
May,  Ham,  and  Joe,  to  look  after  the  thieves  and 
to  bring  them  to  camp.  They  did  not  succeed  in 
finding  them  though  they  trailed  them  to  the  spot. 
Here  they  found  shoe  tracks  an  extraordinary 
distance  apart,  and  of  large  size,  coming  directly 
toward  camp;  but  as  our  geologist  says  he  walked 
on  his  return  these  could  not  have  been  his,  espe 
cially  as  the  toe  had  made  deep  impressions  in  the 
sand.  On  returning  to  camp  the  boys  saw  two 
Indians  quite  near  who  immediately  fired  their 
arrows  at  them.  This  was  returned  by  double- 
barrelled  guns  and  hearing  this  at  camp,  Mr.  Thor- 
burn  and  I  started  at  once.  A  few  hundred  yards 
from  camp  in  the  bottom  of  the  valley  we  saw 
the  Indians  running  and  the  boys  hot  foot  after 
them,  both  parties  firing  as  they  ran.  We  imme 
diately  joined  the  chase  which  proved  very  good 
practice  for  a  while  but  soon  began  to  tell  on  the 
lungs.  In  a  few  minutes  the  mounted  party  joined 
us.  I  ordered  the  men  by  no  means  to  kill  the 
Indians  but  to  take  them  alive.  Directly  opposite 
the  camp  is  a  dark  red  butte  very  rocky,  high,  and 
steep.  Here  we  fairly  ran  them  to  earth  near  the 
top.  The  first  caught  was  a  boy  apparently 

IS 


226  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

fifteen  years  of  age;  but  where  was  the  other?  We 
had  completely  surrounded  the  conical  peak  of  the 
hill  and  though  a  minute  search  had  been  made  we 
had  not  found  him.  Still  I  knew  he  was  not  over 
fifty  steps  from  me  so  we  formed  a  complete  cordon 
around  the  spot  where  he  was  last  seen.  At  last 
one  of  the  men  looking  at  a  greasewood  bush  not 
larger  than  an  ordinary  rosewood  bush  discovered 
him  close  to  the  root,  lying  apparently  coiled 
around  it  and  so  completely  concealed  that  even 
within  six  feet  of  him  he  could  not  be  seen.  He 
was  dragged  out,  roped,  and  carried  to  camp.  Here 
he  was  well  fed  and  both  of  them  clothed  from 
head  to  foot.  I  shall  use  them  as  guides  to  the 
Colorado  and  then  either  take  them  on  and  bring 
them  back  next  winter  or  allow  them  to  return 
from  the  river.  .  .  . 

In  the  morning  as  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to 
see  we  were  off  again.  Turning  the  point  which 
makes  out  from  the  high  peak,  which  I  called  Frank 
Murray's  peak,  we  entered  a  wide  gorge  which 
seemed  to  cut  the  mountain  far  upward  towards 
its  centre.  It  was  rough  with  stones,  and  over 
grown  in  places  with  willow  and  rank  weeds 
through  which  Indian  trails  with  fresh  tracks  and 
other  signs  showed  their  immediate  presence.  We 
found  a  fine  cold  spring  about  three  miles  from  the 
entrance  to  the  pass,  and  pursuing  our  way  soon 
came  to  a  short  but  steep  hill  at  the  end  of  the 
gorge  which  seemed  to  be  the  summit  of  the  pass. 
Ascending  this  the  river  lay  below  us.  We  had 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  227 

arrived  at  the  end  of  our  long  journey,  so  far 
without  an  accident.  Only  those  who  have  toiled 
so  far,  with  life,  reputation,  everything  staked  upon 
the  result,  can  imagine  the  feelings  with  which  I 
looked  down  from  the  heights  of  this  mountain 
upon  the  cottonwoods  and  the  shining  surface  of 
the  river  far  below  us. 

At  a  great  distance  to  the  northwest  a  snow 
capped  chain  of  mountains  marked  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  the  mountains  of  my  own  State,  and  my 
heart  warmed  as  I  thought  of  the  many  friends 
beyond  that  distant  chain  who  were  looking  anx 
iously  for  my  arrival  and  who  would  share  with  me 
the  feelings  of  gratified  pride  with  which  the  result 
of  a  successful  expedition  would  be  crowned. 

The  expedition  went  on  to  Fort  Tejon  to  rest  the 
animals  and  to  recruit  the  courage  and  the  strength 
of  the  men.  On  January  ist,  General  Beale  began 
the  eastward  and  homeward  journey  and  on  Jan 
uary  23d,  he  reached  the  Colorado  where,  this  time 
at  least,  a  most  surprising  experience  awaited  him. 
We  will  describe  it  in  his  own  words. 

"Shortly  after  leaving  camp  my  clerk,  F.  E.  Ker- 
lin,  who,  with  two  of  my  party  had  been  despatched 
the  day  previous  in  order  to  have  my  boat  ready 
for  crossing,  was  seen  returning.  Various  surmises 
were  immediately  started  as  to  the  cause  and  as 
soon  as  he  was  within  speaking  distance  he  was 
questioned  eagerly  for  the  news.  He  gave  us  a 


228  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

joyful  surprise  by  the  information  that  the  steamer 
General  Jesup,  Captain  Johnson,  was  at  the  cross 
ing  waiting  to  convey  us  to  the  opposite  side. 
It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  varied  emotions  with 
which  this  news  was  received.  Here  in  a  wild 
almost  unknown  country,  inhabited  by  savages, 
the  great  river  of  the  West  hitherto  declared 
unnavigable  had  for  the  first  time  borne  upon  its 
bosom  that  emblem  of  civilization,  a  steamer. 
The  enterprise  of  a  private  citizen  had  been 
rewarded  by  success  for  the  future,  was  to  lend  its 
aid  in  the  settlement  of  our  vast  western  territory. 
But  alas!  for  the  poor  Indians  living  on  its  banks 
and  rich  meadow  lands.  The  rapid  current  which 
washes  its  shores  will  hardly  pass  more  rapidly 
away.  The  steam  whistle  of  the  General  Jesup 
sounded  the  death  knell  of  the  river  race. 

"  In  a  few  minutes  after  our  arrival  the  steamer 
came  alongside  the  bank  and  our  party  was  trans 
ported  at  once  with  all  our  baggage  to  the  other 
side.  We  then  swam  the  mules  over  and  bidding 
Captain  Johnson  good-bye  he  was  soon  steaming 
down  the  river  towards  Fort  Yuma  three  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  below.  I  confess  I  felt  jealous  of 
his  achievement  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  the  govern 
ment  will  substantially  reward  the  enterprising 
spirit  which  prompted  a  citizen  at  his  own  risk  and 
at  great  hazard  to  undertake  so  perilous  and  uncer 
tain  an  expedition. 

"I  had  brought  the  camels  with  me  and  as  they 
stood  on  the  bank  surrounded  by  hundreds  of 


The  Wagon  Road  Survey  229 

unclad  savages  and  mixed  with  these  the  dragoons 
of  my  escort,  and  the  steamer  slowly  revolving 
her  wheels  preparatory  to  a  start,  it  was  a  curious 
and  interesting  picture. 

'The  camels  I  had  placed  in  camp  within  a  few 
hundred  yards  of  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
immediately  on  my  arrival,  for  the  sake  of  testing 
their  capability  of  withstanding  the  cold  and  to 
this  date  they  have  lived  in  two  or  three  feet  of 
snow,  fattening  and  thriving  wonderfully  all  the 
while.  Lately  in  a  terrible  snowstorm  the  wagon 
carrying  provisions  to  the  camp  could  proceed  no 
further.  The  camels  were  immediately  sent  to 
the  rescue  and  brought  the  load  through  snow  and 
ice  to  camp,  though  the  six  strong  mules  of  the 
team  were  unable  to  extricate  the  empty  wagons." 
A  month  later  General  Beale  was  able  to  write  in 
his  Journal : ' '  Here  my  labors  end.  The  main  road 
to  Fort  Defiance  being  intersected  at  this  point  by 
the  road  which  I  have  explored  and  surveyed  to 
Fort  Tejon,  California.  A  year  in  the  wilderness 
ended!  During  this  time  I  have  conducted  my 
party  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  and  back  again  to  the  eastern  ter 
minus  of  the  road,  through  a  country  for  a  great 
part  entirely  unknown,  and  inhabited  by  hostile 
Indians,  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  I  have  tested 
the  value  of  the  camel,  marked  a  new  road  to  the 
Pacific,  and  travelled  four  thousand  miles  without 
an  accident." 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  JOURNEY  ALONG  THE  35TH  PARALLEL 

Scale's  Official  Report — Railway  Surveys  from  Fort  Smith, 
Arkansas,  to  the  Colorado — Choteau's  and  the  Valley 
of  the  Canadian — The  Rio  del  Norte  at  Albuquerque — 
Advantages  of  this  Route  for  Wagon  or  Railroads 
— Extracts  from  Beale's  Journal — Inscription  Rock — 
Breakfast  of  Wild  Cat— A  Visit  to  Zuni— Advice  to  the 
Chief— "A  Merrie  Jest  of  ye  White  Man  and  ye 
Indian" — Indian  Rumors  and  a  Treaty  of  Peace- 
Civil  War  and  the  Close  of  the  Wagon  Road  Period 
— "Wanderer"  Writes  about  It  from  Gum  Springs  to 
the  Philadelphia  Press — The  Pacific  Railroad  as  a 
Government  Project — Santa  Fe  Traders — Praise  of 
Beale  as  Pioneer  and  Road  Builder. 

GENERAL  BEALE'S  official   report  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  on  the  results  of  his  next 
journey,    the   survey  from    Fort    Smith, 
Arkansas,  to  the  Colorado,  reads  as  follows: 

CHESTER,  PA.,  December  15,  1859. 
SIR: 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  report  of  my 
last  expedition  from  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  the  Colorado 
River,  from  which  I  have  lately  returned.  This  expedition, 
commencing  as  it  did  in  the  fall  of  1858,  and  being  prose 
cuted  on  the  open  plains  of  the  35th  parallel  of  latitude 

230 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    231 

during  the  entire  winter  of  1858  and  1859,  affords  a  striking 
and  gratifying  proof  of  what  I  have  stated  heretofore  of  the 
route  on  which  I  have  been  employed,  that  winter  offers  no 
obstacle  on  that  parallel  to  the  passage  of  men  and  wagons, 
or  travel  of  any  description.  During  the  entire  winter  my 
men  were  exposed  night  and  day  to  the  open  atmosphere, 
some  of  the  messes  not  using  for  the  whole  journey  their 
tents,  and  others  but  very  rarely.  The  winter  was  said  to 
have  been  one  of  uncommon  severity,  yet,  although  my 
men  were  exposed  on  their  guards  at  night,  and  in  their 
duties  with  pick-axe  and  shovel  in  cutting  down  the  embank 
ments  of  creeks,  and  with  the  axe  and  saw  in  making 
bridges,  during  the  day,  and  to  the  continual  discomfort  of 
a  daily  march,  not  one  of  them  had  occasion  to  complain  of 
the  slightest  sickness  during  the  journey. 

The  country  over  which  we  passed  was  one  of  the  most 
attractive  description.  As  I  have  stated  to  you  in  a  prev 
ious  letter,  a  wide  and  level  river  bottom  is  offered  as  a 
general  line  of  travel  all  the  way  from  the  last  settlements 
of  Arkansas  to  the  first  settlements  of  New  Mexico,  and, 
although  I  did  not  follow  this  line  exclusively,  but  frequently 
deviated  from  it  to  take  the  divide,  I  do  not  remember  a 
heavy  pull  between  Little  River  in  Arkansas  and  the 
settlements  of  New  Mexico. 

Nature  has  supplied  the  country  over  which  we  passed 
most  bountifully  with  the  three  great  requisites  for  an 
overland  road — wood,  grass,  and  water.  Although  I  re 
mained  in  New  Mexico  for  nearly  two  months,  it  was  not 
time  lost,  as  I  employed  myself  and  a  portion  of  my  men 
in  an  exploration  to  the  eastward  along  the  line  of  the 
Conchas  River,  which  afforded  the  most  gratifying  results. 
On  the  termination  of  this  exploration,  I  broke  up  my 
temporary  camp  in  February,  and  pursued  my  journey  to 
the  westward. 

The  broken  nature  of  the  country  lying  immediately 
west  of  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  occasioned  by  the  approach 


232  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

of  the  spurs  of  the  mountain  ranges,  which  run  for  a  dis 
tance  of  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  beyond  the 
boundary  line  of  the  Indian  Territory  to  the  Arkansas  and 
Canada  Rivers,  renders  the  construction  of  a  railroad  else 
where  than  along  the  valleys  of  the  streams  a  work  of  no 
little  difficulty  and  cost.  From  Fort  Smith  two  routes  have 
now  been  reconnoitred ;  one  passing  along  the  head  waters 
of  Poteau  Creek,  San  Bois,  and  the  south  fork  of  the  Cana 
dian,  and  then  crossing  to  the  waters  of  Boggy  River,  whence 
the  line  descends  to  the  Canadian  valley  near  the  site  of  old 
Fort  Arbuckle;  the  other  traversing  the  country  imme 
diately  south  of  the  rivers,  but  not  touching  the  valleys,  and 
crossing  the  numerous  spurs  and  several  elevated  ridges 
east  of  the  passage  of  the  Canadian  at  North  Fork  Town, 
beyond  which  the  surface  east  of  Little  River  is  even  more 
broken  than  the  more  eastern  portion  of  the  route. 

Along  either  of  these  lines  the  maximum  grade  could  not, 
except  at  an  immense  cost,  be  reduced  below  fifty  to  the 
mile,  and  the  tortuous  character  which  would  of  necessity 
attach  to  a  line  located  upon  either  route  would  so  increase 
its  length  that,  without  considering  the  increase  of  distance 
due  to  a  proper  allowance  for  ascents  and  descents,  it  is 
questionable,  if  upon  the  score  of  distance  alone  it  would 
not  be  advisable  to  make  the  location  along  the  valleys. 
The  general  course  of  the  Canadian  is  remarkably  direct 
between  its  mouth  and  the  iO4th  meridian,  it  never  runs 
further  north  than  the  35th  parallel,  and  but  once  passes 
below  it,  and  in  that  instance  flows  for  a  distance  of  about 
sixty  miles  parallel  to  it,  and  only  a  few  miles  below  it.  A 
line  located  along  the  valley  of  this  stream,  from  its  mouth 
to  the  point  at  which  it  would  leave  it  near  the  iO4th  merid 
ian,  would  not  exceed  six  hundred  and  thirty-five  miles  in 
length.  There  are  but  few  points  along  the  river  where  any 
considerable  work  would  be  required.  East  of  North  Fork 
Town  some  few  bluffs  would  offer  unimportant  obstacles, 
but  west  of  that  point  a  magnificent  valley  offers  every 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    233 

facility  for  the  construction  of  a  first-class  road,  with  very 
low  grades  and  easy  curvature. 

The  advantages  which  attach  to  a  route  which  offers  a 
continuous  river  valley  for  so  long  a  distance  for  its  location 
cannot  be  too  strongly  urged;  there  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  from  Fort  Smith  to  the  main  divide,  between 
the  waters  of  the  Canadian  and  those  of  the  Rio  de  las 
Gallinas,  an  unbroken  ascending  grade  can  be  had  that  will 
at  no  point  exceed  twenty-five  feet  per  mile;  the  entire 
ascent  from  Fort  Smith  to  this  point  would  be  fifty-two 
hundred  and  sixty-five  feet,  and  as  there  would  be  no 
descents  whatever  the  equated  distance  would  only  amount 
to  seven  hundred  and  eighty-five  miles  of  level  road. 

From  the  divide  just  mentioned  to  the  Rio  Grande  at 
San  Felipe  the  distance  would  be  about  ninety-five  miles, 
over  a  country  which  would  compel  the  adoption  of  grades 
of  52.8  feet  per  mile,  though  careful  examination  might 
reduce  them.  Upon  this  division  all  the  heavy  work  would 
occur,  comprising  the  bridging  of  the  Gallinas,  the  Pecos, 
and  Rio  Grande,  and  tunnelling  the  summits  between  these 
streams ;  the  equated  distance  from  the  Canadian  summit  to 
the  Rio  Grande  would  be  one  hundred  and  forty-five  miles, 
making  the  entire  distance  (equated)  from  Fort  Smith  to 
San  Felipe,  nine  hundred  and  thirty  miles.  The  road  from 
Fort  Smith  to  San  Felipe  may  be  properly  divided  into  three 
sections :  the  first  extending  from  Fort  Smith  to  the  eastern 
boundary  of  Texas,  the  second  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  de 
las  Conchas  near  the  iO4th  meridian;  the  third  thence  to  the 
Rio  Grande. 

The  valley  of  the  Arkansas  is  similar  to  that  of  western 
streams  generally,  the  highlands  alternately  receding  from 
and  approaching  the  river — the  bottom  lands  sometimes 
stretching  out  for  miles,  sometimes  disappearing  and  giving 
place  to  bluffs;  except  where  it  is  necessary  to  cut  through 
these  bluffs  the  work  will  be  very  light,  the  smooth  level 
character  of  the  bottom  land  offering  every  facility  for  easy 


234  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

construction.  East  of  the  old  trading  post  known  as 
Choteau's,  the  valley  of  the  Canadian  is  very  like  that  of  the 
Arkansas,  the  bluffs,  however,  occur  less  frequently  and 
the  liability  to  overflow  seems  to  be  lessened.  Going  west 
the  tributaries  to  the  main  streams  diminish  in  number  and 
size,  and  if  a  line  be  located  upon  the  south  bank  of  the 
river  there  would  be  but  two  bridges  of  any  size  needed. 
West  of  Choteau's,  the  valley  of  the  Canadian  is  very  wide, 
rising  very  gently  and  with  an  almost  inappreciable  slope 
from  the  stream  toward  the  high  land. 

The  river  itself  is  small  and  never  apparently  leaves  its 
banks;  long,  straight  stretches  are  of  frequent  occurrence; 
tangents  of  from  ten  to  thirty  miles  in  length  can  be  easily 
laid  along  the  valley ;  the  soil  is  a  light  sandy  loam  that  can 
be  easily  handled  and  will  form  a  firm  compact  roadbed; 
the  dryness  of  the  climate  will  expose  embankments  to  but 
little  loss  from  washing ;  the  fertility  of  the  soil  that  charac 
terizes  the  entire  valley  of  the  Canadian ;  wild  grape-vines 
grow  in  the  greatest  profusion,  not  only  in  the  bottoms,  but 
on  the  first  plateau;  there  is  but  little  doubt  of  the  perfect 
adaptability  of  this  country  to  the  production  of  wine ;  the 
high  lands  that  bound  the  river  are  covered  at  all  seasons 
with  a  dense  growth  of  nutritious  grasses  that  will  serve  for 
the  pasturage  of  countless  herds;  the  country  throughout 
this  section  is  well  wooded  for  the  most  part;  as  far  as 
Choteau's,  oak,  hickory,  cedar,  etc.,  of  large  size  abound; 
beyond,  black  oak,  hackberry  and  cottonwood  are  found,  in 
sufficient  quantities  to  serve  for  railroad  purposes  and  the 
wants  of  settlers,  besides,  the  Washita  Valley,  and  those  of 
its  tributaries  will  furnish  a  large  amount  of  similar  wood, 
with  a  mean  transportation  not  exceeding  twenty  miles. 

The  Canadian  supplies  a  large  quantity  of  water  fit  for 
all  purposes,  while  nearly  every  little  arroyo  that  approaches 
it  from  the  hills  on  either  side  is  well  furnished  with  ever- 
flowing  springs.  The  second  division  of  the  road  follows 
the  valley  of  the  Canadian  exclusively  to  the  mouth  of  the 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    235 

Conchas — the  character  of  the  country  is  similar  to  that 
near  the  Antelope  Hills;  about  the  iO4th  meridian  the 
valley  narrows,  but  soon  opens  again,  and  for  fifty  miles  east 
of  the  Conchas  offers  to  the  eye  a  magnificent  expanse  of 
bottom  land  that  cannot  fail  to  please  both  agriculturist  and 
engineer.  A  good  supply  of  timber  is  found  along  this 
division,  water  is  abundant,  and  the  character  of  the  works 
precisely  similar  to  that  of  the  western  portion  of  the  first 
section.  At  the  Angosturas,  a  short  distance  east  of  the 
Conchas,  there  is  an  admirable  site  for  a  bridge  across  the 
Canadian,  should  the  north  side  of  the  river  be  chosen  for 
this  road.  About  this  point  the  Canadian  is  a  clear,  free- 
flowing  stream,  passing  over  a  beautiful  gravel  bed,  and 
running  between  banks  of  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  in  height ; 
large  groves  of  cottonwood  and  hackberry  occur  at  frequent 
intervals. 

Up  the  valley  of  the  Conchas,  a  tributary  of  the  Canadian, 
there  will  be  no  trouble  in  finding  a  favorable  line.  The 
valley  is  large,  free  from  ridges,  rising  very  regularly,  and 
smooth  in  its  surface;  the  approach  to  the  divide  between 
it  and  the  Gallinas  is  very  gentle,  not  requiring  a  grade  of 
more  than  twenty-five  feet.  At  the  summit  a  short  tunnel 
will  be  needed.  The  site,  however,  is  most  favorable,  and 
the  material  a  soft  sandstone,  easily  pierced.  The  descent 
to  the  Gallinas  will  be  regular  and  easy,  at  the  rate  of  thirty 
feet  per  mile;  a  bridge  can  be  easily  thrown  across  this 
stream  with  a  span  of  one  hundred  feet ;  the  approaches  on 
either  side  will  need  but  little  embankment. 

Beyond  the  Gallinas,  the  country  is  rolling,  and  it  will  be 
necessary  to  form  a  summit  near  the  Chupainas ;  the  grades 
approaching  it  will  not  exceed  forty  feet  per  mile ;  the  work 
around  will  be  comparatively  light ;  it  is  doubtful  whether 
there  would  be  any  rock  excavation.  An  admirable  site  for 
a  bridge  across  the  Pecos  can  be  found  near  the  mouth  of 
the  canyon  about  five  miles  above  Anton  Chico.  At  this 
point  machine  shops,  etc.,  could  be  advantageously  estab- 


236  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

lished,  as  there  is  an  abundance  of  coal  and  timber  in  the 
immediate  vicinity,  and  a  large  water-power  might  be 
commanded;  good  building  stone  abounds,  nor  is  it  defi 
cient  at  the  Gallinas.  By  crossing  the  Pecos  at  this  point 
rather  than  at  or  below  Anton  Chico,  the  ascent  to  the  high 
land  in  approaching  the  canyon  Blanco  is  materially  lessened. 
To  the  canyon  the  route  would  traverse  a  somewhat  broken 
country,  rendering  grades  of  about  forty  feet  per  mile  neces 
sary.  At  the  summit,  between  the  canyon  and  Gallisteo 
creek,  a  short  tunnel  through  an  easily  excavated  material 
would  be  needed,  and  a  small  amount  of  moderately  heavy 
work  would  occur  in  passing  to  the  Rio  Grande.  As  far  as 
the  Lagunas  timber  is  found  in  abundance,  and  in  descend 
ing  the  valley  of  Gallisteo  creek,  mottes  of  cedar  and  pinon 
are  frequent,  while  the  mountains  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
possess  large  forests  which  will  furnish  an  endless  amount  of 
fuel. 

Throughout  this  division  of  the  road  there  will  be  no 
difficulty  in  procuring  the  necessary  timber  for  the  purpose 
of  construction.  Pine,  hemlock,  and  other  forest  trees  of 
large  size  abound  in  the  Santa  Fe  mountain,  and  along  the 
head- waters  of  the  Pecos,  and  other  streams.  The  construc 
tion  of  a  bridge  at  San  Felipe,  while  a  work  of  no  small 
magnitude,  will  offer  no  serious  obstacle;  three  spans  of 
two  hundred  feet  each  will  be  necessary.  The  bed  of  the 
stream  is  of  solid  rock,  affording  the  best  of  foundations  for 
the  abutments  and  piers.  Good  building  stone  can  be 
obtained  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

While  a  mere  reconnoissance  does  not  afford  sufficient 
data  for  an  elaborate  and  exact  estimate  of  cost,  an  approxi 
mation  may  be  made  from  notes  taken  along  the  route  that 
will  not  vary  much  from  the  amount  to  be  expended  in  the 
actual  construction  of  the  road — an  estimate  which  it  is 
thought  will  fully  cover  all  expenditure  is  appended.  It  is 
based  upon  such  knowledge  of  the  country  as  can  be  had 
without  the  actual  use  of  transit  and  level  instruments.  It 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    237 

is  true  that  the  sinuosities  of  the  Canadian  River  might,  by 
those  disposed  to  find  fault,  be  urged  against  the  route  but 
when  we  consider  the  width  of  its  valley,  its  gentle  rise,  the 
abundant  supply  of  wood  and  water,  the  very  small  cost  of 
construction,  and  the  capabilities  of  the  country  for  support 
ing  a  large  population,  these  constitute,  it  must  be  ac 
knowledged,  advantages  that  are  not  found  to  belong,  in  an 
equal  degree,  to  any  other  projected  route  across  the 
continent. 

Beyond  the  Antelope  Hills  even  this  objection  cannot 
obtain,  for  the  course  of  the  Canadian  is  remarkably 
straight  from  the  io4th  meridian  to  that  point,  and  if 
this  portion  of  the  line  could  be  connected  with  the 
frontier  of  either  Missouri  or  Arkansas  without  too  great 
an  increase  of  cost,  the  35th  parallel  route  would  be 
unrivalled  in  its  claim  to  consideration. 

The  north  fork  of  the  Canadian  would  probably  afford  a 
more  direct  location  than  the  main  stream,  and  the  summit 
between  it  and  the  latter  could  be  crossed  without  the 
adoption  of  objectionable  grades.  Whether  the  valley, 
however,  would  prove  as  favorable  in  other  respects  is 
questionable.  Such  a  line  would  be  worthy  of  a  careful 
examination  and  comparison  with  the  other.  Another  route 
from  the  southwestern  portion  of  Missouri  to  the  Antelope 
Hills  is  worthy  of  consideration.  The  country  west  of  the 
Missouri  frontier  comprises  a  series  of  gently  rolling 
prairies,  well  wooded  and  watered,  of  excellent  soil,  and  not 
so  broken  as  to  offer  any  serious  impediment  to  the  building 
of  a  good  road  with  easy  grade.  No  difficult  streams 
would  require  bridging,  and  the  summits  between  the  water 
courses  could  be  easily  crossed.  A  railroad  connecting  the 
town  of  Neosha  with  St.  Louis  is  projected,  and  will,  no 
doubt,  be  in  a  short  time  constructed.  This  is  a  fact  of  no 
little  consequence  in  this  connection,  and  unless  the  enter 
prise  of  citizens  of  Arkansas  arouses  them  to  a  sense  of  their 
position,  and  efforts  are  made  to  connect  the  flourishing 


238  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

little  city  of  Fort  Smith  by  rail  with  the  east,  she  may  for 
feit  by  the  neglect  of  her  people  the  advantages  nature  has 
bestowed  upon  her. 

The  respective  merits,  however,  of  these  proposed  lines 
can  only  be  decided  by  a  critical  and  careful  examination  by 
the  civil  engineer;  the  level  and  transit  instruments  solve 
difficulties  and  establish  facts  in  a  few  days  that  would  defy 
simple  barometric  and  compass  reconnoissances  for  years. 
A  twelvemonth  of  careful  survey  would  furnish  reliable  and 
accurate  estimate  for  the  entire  route  from  the  frontiers  of 
the  States  to  California,  and  in  that  time  an  examination 
could  be  made  of  all  the  branch  lines,  that  the  expediency 
of  reducing  the  distances  and  grades  to  the  lowest  limits 
might  suggest.  I  have  already  described  to  you  the  coun 
try  lying  between  the  Del  Norte  and  the  Colorado 
River,  nevertheless  a  recapitulation  may  not  be  thought 
unnecessary. 

Leaving  Albuquerque,  the  first  fifty  miles  over  a  country 
of  sandy  soil,  not  very  well  supplied  with  timber,  but 
possessing  in  parts  a  fair  amount  of  grass;  thence  to  Zuni, 
grass,  wood,  and  water  are  found  in  sufficient  quantities. 
The  timber  is  pine,  of  the  largest  proportions  existing  in 
noble  forests.  Intermediate  in  this  distance,  by  an  explora 
tion  to  the  northward,  I  made  important  discoveries  of 
mineral  (copper  ore)  and  a  country  of  uncommon  beauty. 
This  region  I  have  described  in  my  journal,  which  accom 
panies  this  letter,  as  far  as  the  village  of  Zuni,  and  at  it,  a 
distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  the  westward  of 
Albuquerque.  Corn  forage  may  be  obtained  at  short 
intervals  on  the  road. 

From  Zuni  to  the  Little  Colorado  River  the  country  is 
rolling,  and  well  supplied  with  wood,  water,  and  grass,  and 
is  of  a  good  surface  for  the  whole  distance,  excepting  the 
wide  sandy  beds  of  several  creeks,  which  are  at  times 
several  feet  deep,  and  at  others  dry.  Once  arrived  on  the 
banks  of  the  Little  Colorado,  there  is  before  the  traveller  a 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    239 

wide  river  bottom,  and  abundant  grass  and  timber,  to  the 
base  of  the  San  Francisco  Mountain.  At  this  point  the 
road  ascends  to  its  greatest  elevation,  through  pine  forests 
and  magnificent  valleys,  and  by  an  ascent  so  gradual  that 
there  is  but  little  appearance  of  it  to  the  eye.  From  the 
San  Francisco  Mountain  to  Floyd's  Peak  the  country  is 
very  much  of  the  same  character  as  that  between  Zuni  and 
the  Little  Colorado  River,  being  high  and  rolling,  but  not 
hilly.  It  is  nearly  equally  divided  between  open  plains, 
covered  with  nutritious  grasses,  and  dense  forests  of  pine, 
pifion,  and  cedar.  Between  Floyd's  Peak  and  the  Colorado 
River,  timber  becomes  scarcer,  although  there  is  still  a  great 
abundance  until  within  forty  miles  of  the  river,  when  the 
country  assumes  a  barren  and  sterile  appearance. 

Among  the  important  discoveries  made  during  this 
exploration  was  the  existence  of  the  finest  quality  and  abun 
dant  quantity  of  timber  in  a  mountain,  which  I  called  on  my 
first  expedition  ''Harry  Edwards'  Mountain, "  and  which  is 
not  over  forty-five  or  fifty  miles  from  "Beale's  Crossing"  of 
the  Colorado  River.  I  cannot  conclude  this  letter  without 
urgently  calling  your  attention  to  the  imperative  necessity 
of  building  a  bridge  across  the  Rio  del  Norte,  at  or  near 
Albuquerque.  This  is  a  military,  civil,  and  emigrant 
necessity.  In  support  of  this  assertion,  I  have  the  honor  to 
enclose  you  the  replies  of  distinguished  officers  of  the  army 
serving  in  New  Mexico,  and  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
subject,  to  the  committee  appointed  at  a  public  meeting 
held  in  Albuquerque  for  the  pu^se  of  considering  this 
matter.  I  also  desire  to  call  your  ^ention  to  the  itinerary 
which  accompanies  this  letter.  It  &in  itself  an  abbreviated 
history  or  description  of  the  country  from  Arkansas  to 
California,  by  which  an  emigrant  lUay  pursue  the  route  of 
the  35th  parallel  with  a  perfect  \.iowledge  from  hour 
to  hour  of  the  character  of  the  country  in  advance  of 
him,  its  resources,  climate,  production,  Indians,  and 
game. 


240  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Without  intending  to  draw  invidious  comparisons  be 
tween  the  various  routes  from  our  western  border  to  the 
Pacific  ocean  in  favor  of  that  by  the  35th  parallel,  I  think 
I  can,  with  safety,  say  that  none  other  offers  the  same 
facilities  for  either  wagon  or  railroad. 

It  is  the  shortest,  the  best  timbered,  the  best  grassed, 
the  best  watered,  and  certainly,  in  point  of  grade,  better 
than  any  other  line  between  the  two  oceans,  with  which  I  am 
acquainted. 

For  the  first  of  these  assertions  an  inspection  of  the  map 
is  quite  sufficient  proof;  for  the  second,  I  rely  upon  the 
report  of  Lieutenant  Whipple  and  my  own  observation,  and 
especially  my  last  exploration,  which,  by  the  discovery  of 
fine  pine  timber  in  Harry  Edwards'  Mountain,  enable  me  to 
state  that  the  35th  parallel  road  carries  abundance  of  cedar 
and  pine  to  within  forty  miles  of  the  State  line  of  Califor 
nia,  within  which,  on  the  same  parallel,  there  is  abundance 
in  the  whole  Sierra  Nevada  range  of  mountains.  For  the 
third  proposition,  I  rely  upon  the  concurrent  testimony  of 
all  who  have  travelled  the  road  and  compared  it  with  other 
trans-continental  routes,  who  agree  with  me  that  it  is 
habitable  throughout.  For  the  fourth  assertion,  I  think 
there  can  be  no  better  proof  than  the  fact  that  water  is  at 
but  one  point  thirty  miles  distant ;  and  for  the  last  assertion, 
I  rely  upon  the  profile  of  the  country,  which  has  been  pre 
pared  from  the  instrumental  observations  of  my  two 
explorations. 

It  is  my  firm  belief  i^Ht  whatever  influences  may  tend 
to  divert  travel  from  t)  fr»  road  at  present,  the  future  will 
fully  sustain  the  judgrr>,  it  of  those  who  now  advocate  its 
claims. 

I  have  given  my  T^WS  in  this  letter  of  the  facilities 
offered  by  the  35th  parallel  for  a  railroad  as  far  as  New 
Mexico.  Accompanying  this  is  an  estimate  also  of  the  cost 
of  that  work.  These  may  be  considered  by  you  of  some 
value,  and  I  am  willing  to  give  them  to  the  public,  in  the 


§    'o 


a>    ^ 


V) 


§    2 

C!     fe 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    241 

hope  that  they  may  in  some  manner  aid  this  great  necessity 
of  the  age. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant, 

E.  F.  BEALE, 

Superintendent. 
Hon.  J.  B.  FLOYD, 
Secretary  of  War, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Estimate  of  cost  of  railroad,  with  double  track,  from  Fort 
Smith,  Arkansas,  to  San  Felipe,  New  Mexico. 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

From  Fort  Smith  to  Antelope  Hills,  377  miles ; 
graduation,  masonry,  track,  engineering 
expenses,  and  equipment $  9,311,900 

SECOND  DIVISION. 

From  Antelope  Hills  to  summit  between  Cana 
dian  and  Gallinas,  308  miles;  graduation, 
masonry,  track,  engineering  expenses,  and 
equipment 8,192,800 

THIRD  DIVISION. 

From  summit  to  Rio  Grande  at  San  Felipe,  95 
miles;  graduation,  masonry,  track,  engi 
neering  expenses  and  equipment  3,886,400 

$21,391,100 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  General 
Beale's  Journal  of  the  expedition  from  Fort 
Smith  to  California. 

March  22,  1859.  Taking  Drs.  Floyd  and  Spil- 
ler,  the  Delaware,  and  Little  Axe,  I  started  to 
explore  the  valley  of  Inscription  Rock.  Turn- 

16 


242  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

ing  back  on  our  road  of  yesterday  nearly  to  the 
head  of  the  valley,  I  crossed  to  the  opposite  or 
northern  side;  following  down  the  north  side  of 
the  valley  came  first  to  a  dry  ravine  which,  how 
ever,  has  evidently  at  times  much  water  in  it,  as 
the  remains  of  a  large  Indian  encampment  proves. 

Going  on  to  the  westward  close  under  the  moun 
tain,  and  crossing  a  sandy  piece  of  ground,  for  a 
mile  or  more  I  found  another  of  similar  character, 
and  having  old  Indian  signs  about  it;  beyond  this, 
perhaps  two  miles,  discovered  a  large  spring  in  a 
grove  of  small  oak;  this  spring  is  about  forty  feet 
in  diameter,  a  perfect  circumference;  good  solid 
ground  around  even  to  the  edge  of  the  water,  and 
issuing  from  it  a  rill  of  clear  sweet  water ;  the  spring 
is  seven  feet  in  depth,  a  thicket  of  cottonwood 
grows  just  below  it,  and  a  long  line  of  red  willow, 
of  small  growth,  marks  the  course  of  the  rivulet 
which  flows  from  it:  Inscription  Rock  bears  by 
compass  SW.  by  W. ;  distant  about  eight  miles; 
between  this  point  and  the  rock  the  grass  is  every 
where  abundant  and  the  soil  good,  but  stony  in 
parts;  at  the  spring  where  we  are  at  present 
encamped,  are  several  [oaks]  of  great  size,  one  of 
them  over  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  abundance 
of  small  oaks. 

Leaving  our  noon  camp  and  crossing  a  low  sandy 
ridge,  we  came  into  a  sheltered  valley;  here,  fringed 
with  cottonwood,  we  found  a  sparkling  fresh  flow 
ing  brook;  it  was  of  a  size  which  in  the  Eastern 
States  would  be  called  a  fine  trout  stream,  and  was 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel   243 

as  lovely  a  spot  as  one  would  desire  to  see,  flowing, 
as  it  did,  over  the  rocks,  and  making  beautiful 
little  cascades  of  clear  bright  water;  some  enormous 
pines  grow  in  the  bottom  and  much  cedar,  with 
bark  resembling  white  oak  in  every  respect;  the 
distance  from  the  spring  to  this  stream  is  about  two 
miles  NW.  and  its  bearing  from  the  Inscription 
NE. ;  remaining  awhile  at  the  stream,  we  pursued 
our  way  along  the  base  of  the  mountain  and 
crossing  a  dry  bed  of  what  is  evidently  at  times  a 
large  stream,  we  came  at  nightfall  to  another  dry 
bed,  where  we  encamped,  deferring  until  to-morrow 
a  search  up  it  for  water ;  in  the  bed  of  this  stream  is 
found  limestone  in  abundance,  of  a  gray  color  and 
of  finest  quality;  in  this  stone  we  found  innumer 
able  fossils,  some  of  which  we  took  to  camp  with 
us ;  killed  a  catamount  this  evening. 

March  23.  This  morning  we  followed  up  the 
dry  bed,  and  in  a  mile  or  two  found  abundant  run 
ning  water.  In  many  places  the  solid  limestone 
made  canyons  of  twelve  to  twenty  feet  in  height. 
Returning  at  ten,  we  raised  camp  and  pursued  our 
journey,  still  keeping  the  northern  side  of  the 
valley  and  the  base  of  the  mountain,  which  is 
densely  covered  with  pine  of  the  largest  size,  and 
the  valley  rapidly  becoming  green  in  grass.  Leav 
ing  camp  and  pursuing  the  same  course  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountains  about  northwest,  we  came  in  a 
mile  upon  another  fine  stream  larger  than  the  first. 
This  was  fringed  like  the  other  with  cottonwood 
and  oak,  and  in  a  grove  of  giant  pines,  on  a  little 


244  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

mound,  we  encamped  for  noon,  Inscription  Rock 
bearing  about  S.  by  E.  The  bottom  lands  as  well 
as  the  hillsides  are  of  the  richest  quality  of  soil. 

Following  down  the  stream  after  nooning  we 
saw  on  the  opposite  bank  the  ruins  of  an  ancient 
building,  which  we  crossed  to  examine.  We  found 
it  larger  and  more  perfect  than  those  on  the  sum 
mit  of  Inscription  Rock.  The  wall  remaining  was 
about  ten  feet  in  height,  built  of  stone,  all  of  the 
same  size  and  regularly  laid.  Opposite,  in  strange 
contrast  with  its  massive  appearance,  were  some 
deserted  huts,  built  of  mud  and  twigs,  the  houses 
of  the  present  inhabitants  of  the  country.  It  was 
ancient  and  modern  Greece.  Leaving  the  stream 
and  pursuing  our  course,  and  passing  over  a  soil 
of  incomparable  richness,  we  came  at  sundown 
after  travelling  about  four  miles  to  another  brisk 
running  stream,  on  which  we  encamped  in  large 
pines  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  ...  I  killed 
another  catamount  this  evening. 

March  24.  This  morning,  breakfast  on  wild 
cat  being  over,  we  started  to  explore  the  creek  to 
its  head.  We  found  much  rich  copper  ore  on  its 
banks.  About  a  mile  above  our  camp  several 
rich  and  pretty  pieces  of  malachite  were  found. 
Following  up  the  mountain  we  came  to  a  grove  of 
quaking  aspen.  Above  this  the  stream  flowed 
almost  to  its  head,  over  a  broad  flat  rock  which 
seemed  as  though  it  might  be  the  very  backbone  of 
the  world. 

We  found  the  stream  had  three  forks.     Two  we 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel   245 

explored  to  their  heads.  Both  issued  out  from 
under  the  rocks  near  the  summit  of  the  mountain. 
The  right  hand  fork  is  the  largest  and  bursts  out 
of  the  mountainside  a  full-grown  brook  and  goes 
on  its  way  making  cascades  over  the  rocks,  rushing 
and  sparkling  through  the  crevices  in  fine  style. 
In  ascending  these  forks  we  found  several  spots 
where  cattail  was  growing  luxuriantly,  and  which 
gave  unmistakable  evidence  of  living  water.  The 
view  from  the  summit  was  of  the  grandest  descrip 
tion.  We  found  the  mountain  covered  to  the 
summit  with  lofty  pines,  and  but  little  snow, 
scarcely  any  upon  it. 

Leaving  this  camp  and  travelling  about  five 
miles,  still  along  the  foot  of  the  mountain  and  over 
the  richest  description  of  soil,  we  arrived  at  the 
largest  stream  we  had  yet  seen.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  do  justice  to  the  view  from  our  pres 
ent  camp.  Guided  by  the  roar  of  the  water  we 
followed  up  the  stream  a  hundred  or  two  yards 
above  our  camp  and  there  found  it  issuing  from 
the  mountain,  roaring  and  boiling  and  struggling 
among  the  rocks  of  the  canyon.  Looking  up  toward 
the  mountain,  up  the  bed  of  the  stream,  nothing 
could  be  wilder  or  more  savage.  The  powerful 
stream  pent  up  in  the  narrow  solid  rocks  seemed 
in  torture  to  get  free,  and  was  twisted  and  turned 
from  its  arrow-like  career  at  every  inch  by  the 
rocks  which  stubbornly  opposed  it.  At  times  it 
broke  with  tremendous  bounds  in  cascades,  and  at 
others  formed  deep  whirls  and  pools  of  foam,  al- 


246  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

ways  violent,  restless  and  noisy.  The  steep  sides  of 
the  mountain  even  to  the  verge  of  the  canyon,  and 
where  there  was  room  within  it  were  covered  with 
pine,  and  on  all  sides  huge  rocks  and  broken  trees, 
with  occasional  patches  of  snow. 

Turning  from  this  scene  of  savage  grandeur,  just 
below  and  stretching  for  miles  was  a  quiet,  smiling, 
abundantly  fertile  valley,  through  the  centre  of 
which  the  fierce  stream  above  flowed  as  peacefully 
as  though  its  waters  had  never  been  vexed  and 
tortured  by  the  rocky  walls  of  a  canyon.  On  the 
opposite  side,  about  five  miles  off,  a  high  mesa  of 
red  and  white  sandstone  rose  perpendicularly,  its 
summit  and  its  base  covered  with  cedar.  .  .  .  This 
stream  cuts  directly  across  the  valley  we  have  been 
traversing,  and  enters  a  canyon  on  the  opposite 
side  ...  its  course  is  nearly  north  and  south. 
Here  also  we  found,  in  a  hill  on  the  sides  of  which 
we  encamped  and  quite  near  to  where  the  river 
comes  out  of  the  canyon,  rich  copper  ore.  From 
this  point  Inscription  Rock  bears  about  SE.  by  S. 
and  distant  some  eighteen  miles. 

The  climate  of  this  region  is  most  unexception 
able;  the  days  warm,  the  air  pure,  the  nights  cool 
without  being  too  cold.  .  .  . 

March  25.  To-day  I  return  to  camp,  my  duties 
requiring  my  presence  there.  I  shall  cross  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  valley,  and  return  by  it  to 
Inscription  Rock ;  my  exploration  has  been  in  every 
way  most  satisfactory,  disclosing  as  it  has  a  coun 
try  rich  in  everything  that  makes  the  habitation  of 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel   247 

man  prosperous  and  happy;  to  New  Mexico  it  is 
of  incalculable  importance,  and  I  trust  to  live  to 
see  my  labors  of  the  past  few  days  rendered  useful 
by  the  enterprise  of  our  people,  and  some  day  to 
find  flourishing  settlements  and  prosperous  com 
munities  where  our  footsteps  have  trodden,  in 
what  is  now  a  wilderness  known  only  to  the 
wretched  Indians  who  now  inhabit  it.  ... 

March  26.  We  left  El  Moro,  Inscription  Rock, 
early,  and  travelling  over  our  old  road,  which  we 
found  excellent,  and  well  timbered  and  grassed, 
the  surface  being  nearly  level  and  without  a  hard 
pull,  we  nooned  at  the  beautiful  spring  of  the  Ojo 
Pescado ;  we  crossed  the  Zuni  River  before  coming 
to  and  after  leaving  this  spring,  a  mile  on  either 
side  of  it ;  the  river  was  full  and  running  rapidly ;  it 
was  about  twenty-five  feet  in  width  and  three  in 
depth;  it  is  sometimes  quite  dry  where  we  crossed 
it  though  water  is  always  to  be  found  in  it  below. 

After  nooning  we  travelled  on  to  within  ten  miles 
of  Zuni,  where  we  encamped  near  the  river,  in  good 
grass  and  wood  plenty.  Going  toward  Zuni  it  is 
always  well  to  encamp  at  a  distance  of  ten  miles  or 
so  from  the  town,  as  nearer,  one  does  not  find  good 
grass  or  wood,  the  Indian  sheep  and  ponies  requir 
ing  it  nearly  all,  besides  which,  most  of  the  valley 
is  cultivated  in  corn  and  wheat. 

March  27.  We  entered  Zuni  to-day.  We  had 
a  wagon  under  charge  of  Mr.  George  Beall  three 
days  in  advance,  trading  with  the  Indians  for  corn, 
and  having  obtained  a  sufficiency  we  moved  on 


248  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

about  six  or  seven  miles  from  town  to  a  good  camp 
in  the  cedars  and  about  half  a  mile  from  the  river. 
The  day  was  very  disagreeable  with  a  high  wind 
blowing  the  dust  in  every  direction,  reminding  us 
of  Washington  City  in  a  winter  gale.  Before 
reaching  the  town  about  two  miles  we  crossed  the 
Zuni  River  for  the  last  time,  and  already  beginning 
to  lose  a  large  portion  of  its  waters  in  the  loose  soil 
of  the  valley.  The  old  Governor  met  me  in  the 
town  with  many  compliments  and  congratulations, 
and  bearing  in  his  arms  a  box  containing  my  "  arti 
ficial  horizon  "  which  I  had  left  with  him  in  passing 
last  winter. 

He  told  me  the  charge  had  been  a  great  burden 
on  his  mind  and  he  was  glad  to  be  rid  of  the  re 
sponsibility ;  rewarding  him  with  several  blankets 
and  pieces  of  calico,  I  sat  down  in  his  house  to  hear 
the  news.  He  had  a  long  list  of  grievances.  The 
United  States  had  persuaded  him  into  an  alliance 
with  the  troops  as  auxiliaries  in  the  late  war  with 
the  Navajoes;  his  people  had  fought  with  our 
troops  side  by  side  like  brothers;  the  United 
States  had  found  it  convenient  to  make  peace 
with  their  enemies  and  had  left  their  auxil 
iaries  the  prey  of  their  powerful  and  numerous 
foes. 

I  told  him  I  thought  it  served  him  right  for 
meddling  in  things  which  did  not  concern  him,  and 
warned  him  for  the  future  to  avoid  "all  entangling 
alliances. "  I  left  town  after  giving  some  things  to 
the  Indians  and  trading  for  some  corn-meal,  and 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel   249 

through  the  dust  which  was  nearly  blinding,  we 
rode  to  camp. 

April  29.  We  arrived  early  this  evening  at  the 
springs  at  the  Colorado  Mountain,  where  we  found 
the  water  very  plentiful.  We  played  off  a  very 
good  joke  on  the  Indians  last  evening,  which 
brought  up  our  accounts  quite  square  with  them ; 
about  sundown  after  they  had  killed  the  mule  and 
stolen  the  one  mentioned  yesterday,  I  caused  the 
mules  to  be  hitched  up,  and  camp  made  ready  in  as 
much  apparent  confusion  as  possible,  knowing  the 
devils  were  watching  every  movement  we  made;  it 
was  so  managed  that  we  got  off  at  night,  so  that 
they  could  not  see  the  men  we  left  behind  con 
cealed  in  the  rocks. 

After  going  a  few  miles  as  if  we  had  been  fright 
ened  off  and  were  moving  to  seek  more  open 
ground,  we  encamped  and  built  our  fire.  All  this 
must  have  amused  Mr.  Indian  vastly,  and  doubt 
less  he  chuckled  hugely  how  they  had  frightened 
us.  The  men  left  behind  lay  in  the  rocks  until  day 
light  when,  just  as  we  expected,  our  red  brothers 
came  down  to  see  the  mule  they  had  killed,  and 
what  damage  besides  they  had  done  us,  when  our 
party  fell  upon  them  and  killed  four,  returning  to 
camp  before  we  were  ready  to  start  in  the  morning, 
bringing  bows,  arrows,  and  scalps  as  vouchers; 
it  was  a  good  practical  joke — "a  merrie  jest  of  ye 
white  man  and  ye  Indian. " 

April  30.  Went  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain 
and  to  the  base  on  the  ether  side  to  look  at  the  road. 


250  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

We  saw  the  river  very  plainly  but  could  see  nothing 
of  the  troops,  and  so  shall  make  our  preparations 
to  go  down  and  give  the  Mohaves  a  turn  in 
the  morning,  for  which  the  men  are  busy  pre 
paring  their  arms.  ...  I  shall  take  with  me 
thirty-five  men  and  three  days'  provisions  on 
three  camels.  The  men  will  go  on  foot,  so 
that  we  shall  not  be  encumbered  with  mules 
to  guard  while  we  are  fighting;  as  for  the 
camels,  they  will  pack  our  provisions  and  require 
no  guarding,  as  they  will  feed  well  tied  up  to 
a  bush. 

May  i.  Left  camp  early  with  thirty-five  men 
all  on  foot,  and  in  fighting  trim  with  nothing  to 
carry  but  their  rifles,  knives,  and  revolvers,  the 
camels  packed  with  provisions  following  close 
behind  us.  We  marched  the  twenty-five  miles  in 
six  hours.  On  our  arrival  at  the  river  we  saw 
Indians,  and  the  men  as  soon  as  they  had  drunk 
started  out  to  get  a  shot.  Whilst  they  were  hunt 
ing  them  through  the  thick  undergrowth  which 
fills  the  bottom,  and  about  three  hours  after  we 
arrived,  we  were  surprised  at  seeing  three  or  four 
white  men  coming  up  the  trail.  These  informed  us 
that  the  troops  were  encamped  on  a  bend  of  the 
river  a  few  miles  below,  and  that  Colonel  Hoffman 
had  made  a  treaty  with  the  Indians;  so  that  we 
immediately  called  in  our  men  much  to  their  dis 
appointment  and  intense  disgust.  Here  I  heard 
that  our  caches  of  provisions  had  been  raised  by 
the  soldiers  so  that  I  would  be  obliged  to  go  into 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    251 

the  settlements  for  more.     Major  Armistead  is  at 
present  in  command  of  the  troops. 

The  construction  and  maintenance  of  national 
wagon  roads  across  the  plains  was  laid  aside  upon 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  and  not  resumed 
when  peace  came,  as,  in  the  meantime,  the  railway 
era  had  begun.  The  situation  of  affairs  when  Gen 
eral  Beale  was  called  to  the  post  of  surveyor-general, 
not  to  survey  nor  to  examine  land  titles  but  to  help 
keep  the  Pacific  Coast  territory  in  the  Union,  is  well 
described  by  a  correspondent  of  the  Philadelphia 
Press,  who  under  the  signature  of  " Wanderer*' 
writes  to  his  paper  in  the  following  terms  under 
date  of  October  15,  1859,  from  Gum  Spring, 
Choctaw  Nation. 

.  .  .  Having  yesterday  made  more  than  the  usual  day's 
travel,  and  the  ponies  evincing  distress,  we  have,  early  this 
afternoon,  made  camp  and  a  huge  fire  under  a  spreading 
oak  of  lordly  dimensions.  We  are  east  of  the  Winchester 
Mountains,  and  not  more  than  two  days'  journey  from 
Arkansas.  I  have  the  cacoethes  scribendi  upon  me,  and  as 
we  have  had  our  coffee  and  several  pipes,  and  the  usual  chat 
about  our  good  old  city  of  Philadelphia,  I  sprawl  myself 
upon  the  machilla  of  my  saddle  to  wear  out  the  sun,  now 
nearly  two  hours  high,  with  writing  something  of  the  routes 
to  the  Pacific. 

Ever  since  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  gave  us  our 
California  possessions,  the  same  motive  that  actuates 
England  to  draw  her  Indian  colonies  to  her  by  lessening  the 
distance  and  shortening  the  length  of  travel  between  them 
and  the  mother  country,  and  that  also  impels  France  to 
desire  a  ship  canal  across  the  Isthmus  of  Suez  has  induced 


252  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

speculations  and  explorations  for  a  railway  route  across 
this  continent.  There  has  been  a  myriad  of  theories  de 
duced  from  books  and  nicely  sketched;  daring  men  have 
explored  in  every  quarter;  the  Government  press  has 
poured  out  ponderous  tome  after  tome  filled  with  itineraries ; 
appropriations  have  been  made  by  Congress  for  the  con 
struction  of  wagon  roads  in  order  to  facilitate  the  emigration 
of  the  hardy  pioneers,  who  with  their  families  plunge  into 
the  wildernesses  of  the  Far  West  to  raise  up  new  settle 
ments — these  things  have  gone  on  steadily  until  the  public 
mind  has  become  fully  awakened  to  the  importance  in  a 
military  as  well  as  commercial  point  of  view,  of  a  railway 
between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific.  The  large  majority 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States  are  undoubtedly  in  favor 
of  some  route,  but  the  particular  route  to  be  selected  is  the 
question  at  issue. 

A  Pacific  railroad  as  a  Government  project  can  only  be 
sustained  upon  the  ground  of  its  necessity  as  a  national  work. 
Not  to  lose  the  force  of  an  argument  so  vital,  the  route 
ought  to  be  neither  an  extreme  northern  nor  an  extreme 
southern  one,  unless  there  are  insuperable  obstacles  to  a 
central  route  by  which  of  course  all  sections  of  the  country 
would  be  equally  benefited.  I  don't  mean  that  a  pair  of 
dividers  should  fix  the  centre  and  a  route  be  marked  and 
followed  accordingly;  but  that  the  best  practical  route  near 
the  centre  of  the  Confederacy  should  be  selected;  the  one 
that  gives  the  easiest  crossing  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
furnishes  wood,  water,  and  grass,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 
This  route,  beyond  all  cavil,  is  that  laid  down  and  travelled 
by  Lieut.  Beale.  Of  the  wagon  roads  started  some  have 
been  abandoned  and  others  drag  their  slow  length  along. 
Beale  rapidly  marked  his  upon  the  route  of  the  thirty-fifth 
parallel,  crossed  it  and  recrossed  it  with  large  parties  and 
small  parties,  with  camels  and  without  them,  with  heavy 
teams  and  the  last  time,  I  -am  told,  with  a  light  buggy. 

A  paper  which  I  found  up  the  country,  I  think  it  was  The 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel    253 

St.  Louis  Republican,  contained  the  information  that  Mr. 
Beale  had  arrived  home,  that  he  had  taken  his  party  home 
by  a  more  northern  route  in  order  to  compare  it  as  he  had 
all  the  other  routes  with  his  own;  that  his  examinations  had 
been  rigid  and  impartial  and  that  the  conclusion  was 
irresistibly  in  favor  of  the  route  from  Fort  Smith  over  the 
thirty-fifth  parallel  through  Albuquerque  in  New  Mexico  to 
California.  It  is  the  most  direct  route,  not  dipping  as  the 
route  now  followed  by  the  overland  mail  does  hundreds  of 
miles  south  into  Texas. 

I  am  confident  from  what  I  have  seen  of  it  that  it  is  as 
good  a  natural  road  as  can  be  found.  .  .  .  Besides,  from 
Albuquerque  to  California  the  road  has  been  improved;  it 
has  been  deeply  marked  by  the  heavy  teams,  trees  have 
been  cut  down  out  of  the  way  where  it  could  be  shortened, 
and  bridges  have  been  constructed  over  the  streams.  Then 
come  the  plains  and  you  strike  Little  River.  The  Canadian 
is  fordable,  or  a  ferry  is  to  be  had  at  all  times.  The  other 
streams  between  Fort  Smith  and  Little  River  are  crossed 
with  substantial  iron  bridges  sent  out  from  Philadelphia. 
Mr.  Edwards  has  his  men  now  engaged  upon  the  double 
span  bridge  over  the  Poteau,  which  will  be  completed  ere 
long. 

The  Choctaws  have  commenced  to  improve  the  road  over 
the  Winchester  Mountain,  and  a  project  is  afoot  to  turnpike 
the  road  from  the  bridge  through  the  fearful  boggy  bottom 
of  the  Poteau  and  Arkansas  to  the  village  of  Skullyville. 
Thus  will  there  be  a  good  wagon  road  or  road  for  any  kind 
of  travel  from  the  East  to  California.  Already  railroads 
are  creeping  towards  Fort  Smith  by  the  way  of  Little  Rock 
from  Memphis  and  from  St.  Louis.  The  forerunner  of 
railway  travel,  the  telegraph,  will  station  itself  soon,  as 
soon,  I  learn,  as  the  poles  can  be  put  up,  at  Fort  Smith, 
which  of  itself  will  lessen  the  time  of  news  communication 
from  California  three  or  four  days.  All  these  things  are 
signs. 


254  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

I  have  seen  Santa  Fe  traders  taking  Beale's  route  as  far 
as  it  would  take  them  to  their  destinations.  You  never 
saw  a  Santa  Fe  party?  Riding  in  advance  is  a  young  man 
armed  with  his  six  shooter  and  knife,  and  a  fowling  piece. 
His  dress  is  for  use  rather  than  show,  yet  show  is  not  for 
gotten  as  the  red  sash  round  his  waist  will  testify,  as  well  as 
the  rich  blue  ribbon  that  binds  his  hat,  and  flutters  its  ends 
in  the  wind.  His  saddle  has  the  high  can  tie  and  pommel, 
the  broad  wooden  stirrups,  the  leg-flaps  and  the  wide 
leathern  manchilla  that  covers  the  frame  in  the  day  and 
serves  at  night  as  part  of  his  bed  to  prevent  the  sharp 
stones  and  sticks  and  damp  getting  at  him.  All  these  like 
the  old  fashioned  Spanish  or  Moorish  saddles,  the  awful 
spurs  and  check  bit  weighing  something  less  than  a  ton, 
must  not  be  forgotten. 

Anon  and  we  see  two  hard-faced  grave-looking  men 
mounted  upon  serious-looking  mules,  that  have  their  tails 
shaved  off,  except  a  slight  bunch  of  hair  at  the  end,  giving 
them  a  ludicrous  appearance.  They  are  in  deep  chat  but 
salute  us  with  much  dignity  as  we  pass  them.  In  the  woods 
and  prairie  are  others  of  the  party  hunting  fresh  meat  for 
the  evening  meal.  Then  there  are  the  heavily-laden 
wagons  drawn  by  their  half-dozen  ox-teams  each,  the  loose 
cattle,  the  teamsters,  and  the  long  ox-whip  cracking  on 
every  side  its  eternal  noise.  We  saw  an  Indian  just  behind 
the  party  tricked  in  his  best.  He  was  on  his  way  to  pay  a 
visit.  .  .  . 

If  Edward  F.  Beale  had  been  a  Massachusetts  man,  his 
services  to  his  country  would  have  teemed  the  papers  with 
his  exploits,  his  daring  and  his  usefulness.  The  more 
credit  to  Massachusetts!  A  young  lieutenant  in  the  navy 
during  the  war  with  Mexico,  not  his  least  daring  act  was  to 
carry  despatches  through  Mexico  itself.  In  California,  he 
gathered  the  wild  Indians  that  threatened  the  lives  and 
property  of  the  settlers  and  miners  upon  reserves  and  there 
taught  them  agriculture  and  to  earn  their  own  subsistence. 


The  Journey  along  the  35th  Parallel   255 

His  merit  gained  for  him  from  California  high  praise, 
together  with  a  commission  as  Brigadier- General.  Hon. 
Jefferson  Davis,  when  a  Senator  from  Mississippi,  before 
entering  Gen.  Pierce's  cabinet  was  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  camels  if  introduced  into  this  country  would  be  of  vast 
use  in  Texas,  Arizona,  and  New  Mexico,  and  he  made 
efforts  to  have  the  matter  tested.  When  the  camels  were 
brought  over,  under  his  administration  of  the  War  Depart 
ment,  he  selected  Mr.  Beale  to  take  the  camels  and  decide 
the  point  he  had  so  much  at  heart.  We  all  know  how  well 
Mr.  Beale  discharged  this  duty  and  in  what  an  unprece- 
dentedly  short  space  of  time  the  first  mail  over  Mr. 
Beale's  route  across  the  continent  was  brought  by  the 
camels. 

In  concluding  his  letter  "  Wanderer "  laments,  a 
sentiment  that  was  surely  not  shared  by  General 
Beale,  that  after  the  wagon  road  over  the  35th 
parallel  had  been  completed  he  should  be  allowed 
to  retire  quietly  into  the  circle  of  his  friends  in 
Chester,  Delaware  County,  Pa.,  without  receiving 
ovations. 

The  same  people  [he  adds  reproachfully]  that  hung 
with  raptures  over  the  foolish  and  profitless  daring  of 
Blondin  in  walking  a  rope  stretched  over  the  Niagara  Falls 
are  neglectful  of  the  courage  and  the  hardihood  and  suffer 
ing  of  the  man  who  traverses  this  Continent  amid  every 
conceivable  danger  from  disease,  the  elements,  and  the  yet 
more  ruthless  hand  of  hostile  savages  to  prepare  the  way 
for  new  cities  and  States  and  greater  power  and  influence 
for  our  Republic. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
GENERAL  BEALE  AS  SURVEYOR-GENERAL 

Lincoln  Appoints  Beale  Surveyor-General  of  California  and 
Nevada — Plans  of  the  Secessionists — Beale  Persuades 
Lincoln  not  to  Enforce  the  Draft  in  California — 
Weathering  the  Crisis — Scale's  Letter  to  the  President 
Volunteering  for  Service  in  the  Field — His  Views  on 
the  Cause  and  Probable  Consequences  of  Civil  War 
Published  by  the  Philadelphia  Press—  "The  Fate  of 
the  Commons  of  the  World  Depends  upon  the  Issue 
of  the  Struggle"— Beale's  Letter  to  Secretary  Chase 
Favoring  Acquisition  of  Lower  California  by  United 
States — Chase's  Reply  —  Letters  from  the  Mexican 
General  Vega — Beale's  Sympathies  with  the  Liberal 
though  Fugitive  Government  across  the  Border — 
Grant  and  Beale  Contrive  to  Send  Muskets  to  Juarez 
—President  Diaz's  Recognition  in  After  Years  of 
Beale's  Assistance  in  This  the  Hour  of  Need. 

ONE   of   the   first    appointments    made   by 
Lincoln  after  his  inauguration  was  that  of 
Beale  to  the  post  of  surveyor-general  of 
California  and  Nevada.     In  ordinary  times  the 
post  of  surveyor-general  with  the  control  of  the 
public  lands  and   the  duty   of  locating  the  old 
Spanish  grants  and  translating  them  into  English 

256 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    257 

measures  was  important  enough,  but  Beale  soon 
found  that  the  duties  to  which  he  was.  urged  to 
address  himself  with  particular  zeal  were  almost 
exclusively  extra-official. 

The  overshadowing  issue  of  the  moment,  west  as 
well  as  east  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  was  that  of  union 
or  secession,  and  the  political  outlook  in  California 
was  anything  but  reassuring  to  Northern  sympa 
thizers.  It  must  be  admitted  that  the  southern 
settlers  in  California,  though  doubtless  outnum 
bered  by  the  Unionists,  were  exceedingly  active 
and  well  organized,  and  when  Sumter  was  fired  on 
it  was  generally  believed  that  the  secession  organi 
zation  aided  by  the  lukewarmness  of  a  large  alien 
population  would  succeed  in  taking  California  out 
of  the  Union  in  a  few  weeks. 

Such  was  the  situation  when  Lincoln  bestowed 
upon  Beale  his  confidence  and  gave  him  full  charge. 
The  papers  dealing  with  the  political  affairs  of  this 
important  and  interesting  period  were  nearly  all 
destroyed  in  the  recent  great  fire  in  San  Francisco 
when  the  archives  of  the  Pioneers'  Library  went 
up  in  flames.  Fortunately,  however,  the  memory 
of  General  Beale 's  successful  activity  still  survives 
in  the  recollections  of  those  who  knew  distracted 
California  in  war  time. 

It  was  only  a  few  days  after  General  Beale  had 
been  appointed,  and  when  assisted  by  the  other 
U.  S.  officials  he  was  engaged  in  developing  and 
organizing  the  Unionist  sentiment  of  the  State, 
that  the  draft  proclamation  from  Washington 
17 


258  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

arrived.  Suddenly  aroused  like  a  leviathan  from 
its  slumbers,  the  Government  was  going  to  work 
on  a  large  scale  but  somewhat  automatically,  the 
same  in  Maine  as  in  Nevada,  in  California  as  in 
Connecticut,  without  the  slightest  regard  for  local 
conditions  and  local  prejudices. 

Beale  recognized  that  the  publication  of  the 
draft  and  its  attempted  enforcement  would  not 
bring  many  men  into  the  Union  armies,  and  on  the 
other  hand  might  tip  the  balance,  until  then  with 
such  difficulty  preserved,  and  send  California  into 
the  secession  ranks.  Upon  his  own  responsibility 
General  Beale  suppressed  the  proclamation,  and  in 
a  forcible  despatch  to  Washington  laid  before 
Lincoln  the  reasons  which  had  induced  him  to 
take  this  extraordinary  step.  Lincoln  approved 
and  applauded  Beale's  course.  He  wrote  upon  the 
surveyor-general's  letter,  "  Draft  suspended  in 
California  until  General  Beale  shall  indicate  that 
the  times  are  more  auspicious." 

In  a  few  weeks  the  Unionists,  now  thoroughly 
aroused  and  effectively  organized,  made  their 
presence  felt  in  the  State.  Californians  though 
not  drafted  were  volunteering  for  the  Union 
army  in  larger  proportion  to  the  population  than 
was  the  case  in  some  of  the  Eastern  States. 
Beale  feeling  now  that  the  immediate  crisis  was 
over,  thought  that  he  might  with  propriety  ad 
dress  the  President,  acquainting  him  with  his 
desire  for  active  service  in  the  field.  He  did  it 
in  the  following  terms : 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    259 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL., 

July  24,  1861. 

His  EXCELLENCY  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  : 

A  short  time  ago  you  did  me  the  honor  to  appoint  me  to  a 
most  important  and  responsible  position  for  which  I  beg 
you  to  accept  my  grateful  acknowledgment.  Under  any 
other  condition  of  public  affairs,  you  have  left  me  nothing 
to  desire;  but  to  the  flag  under  which  I  have  received 
honorable  wounds,  under  which  my  father  and  my  grand 
father  fought  for  the  honor  and  the  glory  of  the  country,  I 
think  I  owe  something  more,  in  this  hour  of  trial,  than  a 
mere  performance  of  duty  in  a  position  of  ease  and  quiet. 
To  the  government  I  owe  early  education  and  support,  for 
I  entered  its  service  almost  a  child  and  feel  toward  it  a 
filial  affection  and  gratitude.  All  that  I  have,  even  my 
life  I  owe  to  it,  and  it  is  a  debt  I  am  willing  gratefully  and 
cheerfully  to  discharge. 

From  fourteen  to  twenty-five  my  life  was  passed  at  sea, 
and  for  the  past  fifteen  years  principally  on  the  great  plains 
and  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  I  served  during  the  Mexican 
War,  and  at  its  close  I  resigned  and  have  been  engaged  in 
many  expeditions  of  some  importance  since.  I  know  that 
I  am  resolute,  patient,  and  active  and  if  I  had  not  courage, 
my  love  of  country  would  supply  the  want  of  it  in  such  a 
time  as  this.  Devoted  to  my  country,  and  owing  it  every 
thing  I  have  in  the  world,  I  write  to  offer  my  services  to  you 
in  any  capacity  you  may  wish  to  use  them  until  the  present 
rebellion  is  crushed  out  of  the  land.  You  cannot  add  to  the 
distinction  you  have  already  conferred  upon  me  by  any 
appointment,  for  there  is  none  within  your  gift  more  dis 
tinguished  or  more  honorable;  nor  do  I  desire  any  change 
except  that  I  may  more  efficiently  serve  the  United 
States.  In  a  word  I  wish  simply  to  offer  my  life  for  the 
flag. 

With  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

E.  F.  BEALE. 


260  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

The  Press  of  Philadelphia — Oct.  9,  1861 — repro 
duces  in  part  a  letter  which  General  Beale  wrote 
some  weeks  later  to  a  personal  friend  in  Wash 
ington  and  which  apparently  arrived  by  the  same 
mail  that  brought  his  proffer  of  service  to  President 
Lincoln.  In  this  communication  General  Beale 
says: 

Nothing  could  be  more  delightful  or  agreeable  to  me  than 
the  office  I  hold,  at  least  in  California !  Nevertheless  I  feel 
that  if  my  services  are  required  this  is  no  time  to  withhold 
them  from  my  country.  I  have  been  looking  forward  with 
the  keenest  delight  to  two  or  three  years  of  rest  after  so 
many  long  ones  of  hardship,  but  I  will  cheerfully  put  off  my 
time  of  rest  still  longer,  or  find  eternal  rest  in  an  honorable 
grave  under  the  old  flag.  I  conscientiously  believe  that  the 
fate  of  the  commons  of  the  world  depends  upon  the  issue  of 
the  struggle  and  I  am  willing  if  need  be  to  devote  my  life 
to  the  great  cause  of  the  people. 

Commenting  editorially  the  Press  said  the  letter 
would  be  read  with  pleasure  alike  for  its  noble 
spirit  and  cheering  example. 

Lincoln,  however,  and  as  the  event  proved  wisely, 
for  the  secession  movement  in  the  State  was  not 
dead  or  even  sleeping,  decided  to  keep  Beale  in  a 
position  where  it  was  recognized  he  had  rendered 
such  invaluable  services.  The  President's  decision 
was  a  great  blow  to  the  General,  but  he  took  it  like 
a  man  and  a  patriot.  From  California  at  least 
there  was  no  "  fire  from  the  rear  "  directed  upon  the 
war  administration. 

Early  in  1863,  General  Beale  began  to  take  an 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    261 

interest  in  the  Mexican  revolution  which  provoked 
or  rather  invited  the  French  intervention  and  its 
consequences  in  which  the  United  States  became 
so  closely  involved.  Beale  had  always  regretted 
that  the  war  of  1847  between  Mexico  and  the 
United  States  had  not  ended  in  the  acquisition 
of  the  Peninsula  of  Lower  California.  He  had 
always  regarded  its  possession  as  necessary  to  the 
safety  and  to  the  prosperity  of  Upper  California, 
and  indeed  of  the  whole  Southwest.  The  General 
frequently  stated,  without,  however,  revealing  his 
authority,  that  it  had  been  the  purpose  of  President 
Polk  to  demand  for  strategic  reasons  Lower  Cali 
fornia,  then  more  even  than  now  a  vacant  wilder 
ness.  The  matter,  however,  seemed  of  so  little 
importance  to  the  American  peace  commissioners 
that  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  was  signed 
and  sealed  before  their  important  oversight  was 
discovered. 

Thinking  the  moment  opportune  General  Beale 
brought  up  the  question  again,  and  the  following 
interesting  correspondence  took  place  between  him 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Salmon  P.  Chase. 

SAN  FRANCISCO, 

Aug.  5th,  1863. 
SIR: 

I  have  written  several  letters  to  Thomas  Brown,  Esq., 
U.  S.  Agent  for  the  Pacific  Coast,  on  the  importance  of  the 
acquisition  of  the  Peninsula  of  Lower  California  by  the 
United  States. 

I  am  quite  sure  I  have  not  exaggerated  the  great  value 
to  our  country  of  that  long  mountain  ridge  which  abounds 


262  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

in  good  harbors  on  both  the  Gulf  coast  and  the  Pacific 
and  is  filled  with  mineral  wealth  of  every  description.  I 
beg  you  will  give  this  subject  a  few  hours'  consideration. 
Valuable  and  abundantly  occupied  as  your  time  is  I  assure 
you  this  matter  is  worthy  of  your  attention.  I  desire  most 
particularly  to  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  we  have 
it  in  our  power  at  this  time  by  purchase  of  Lower  California 
and  a  very  small  portion  of  the  opposite  coast,  to  possess  the 
mouth  of  the  Colorado  destined  to  be  as  important  to  us  on 
the  Pacific  as  is  the  Mississippi  to  the  Eastern  States.  If 
the  line  of  the  Gadsden  purchase  was  straightened,  instead 
of  being  deflected  at  1 1 1  degrees  of  longitude,  and  touched 
the  Gulf  at  the  Coast,  and  we  should  possess  ourselves  of 
Lower  California,  we  should  then  control  entirely  the 
navigation  of  the  Colorado,  which  the  future  will  prove  of 
the  utmost  importance  to  the  welfare  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
States. 

The  mountains  which  border  the  Colorado  abound  in 
vast  resources  and  in  mineral  wealth  which  has  but  just 
commenced  to  excite  and  lead  our  people  to  their  explora 
tion  and  development  while  its  rich  bottom  land  invites 
our  farmers  with  most  flattering  prospects  to  their  cultiva 
tion.  Cotton,  sugar  and  tobacco  will  there  find  their 
largest  crops  and  furnish  their  greatest  returns  to  commerce. 
Lower  California  as  I  have  before  written  possesses  mines 
of  incalculable  extent  and  inestimable  value  while  its 
harbors  are  numerous  and  secure.  This  cannot  have 
escaped  the  French  sagacity,  and  if  it  is  not  purchased 
now  or  taken  possession  of  by  us  it  may  very  soon  be 
too  late  to  do  so  at  all.  It  seems  to  me  this  might  be 
easily  accomplished  by  a  purchase  from  the  Government 
party  lately  expelled  from  the  City  of  Mexico  by  the 
French.  If  this  was  done  without  noise  and  the  ports  of 
La  Paz  and  Guaymas  promptly  occupied,  we  might  easily 
with  five  thousand  men  drawn  from  the  Army  of  New 
Mexico,  where  they  are  actually  entirely  useless,  and 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    263 

placed  under  a  proper  commander,  defy  foreign  inter 
position  to  prevent  our  holding  the  new  territory 
forever. 

You  may  be  sure  that  those  who  live  after  us  on  this 
coast  will  not  hold  the  memory  of  that  administration  in 
high  respect  which  will  have  allowed  a  foreign  power  to 
collect  toll  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  of  the  Pacific, 
after  having  lost  the  opportunity  of  its  acquisition  for  our 
own  people. 

Offering  my  services  to  you  in  any  manner  in  which  I 
can  serve  the  country, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  Obt.  Servt., 

E.  F.  BEALE. 
Honorable  S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Mr.  Chase's  reply  reads: 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

Sept.  5th,  1863. 
MY  DEAR  SIR: 

Yours  of  the  5th  of  August  has  just  reached  me.  I 
appreciate  as  you  do  the  importance  of  the  acquisition  you 
suggest.  I  fear  that  the  Juarez  Government  is  now  too 
entirely  broken  to  warrant  negotiations  with  it  but  I  will 
confer  with  the  President  and  Secretary  of  State  on  that 
subject. 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  we  neglected  our  opportunities 
when  the  states  of  Central  America  were  so  ready  to 
identify  their  fortunes  with  those  of  the  American  Union! 
What  a  pity  it  is  also,  that  when  General  Scott  took  Mexico 
he  did  not  remain  there  and  establish  a  protectorate !  The 
timid  counsels  of  the  Whig  leaders  and  the  fears  of  the 
slave-holding  oligarchy  suppressed  a  policy  which  would 


264  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

have  prevented  all  our  present  troubles  so  far  as  French 
domination  in  Mexico  is  concerned. 

Yours  Very  Truly, 

S.  P.  CHASE. 
To 

E.  F.  BEALE,  Esq. 

Later  General  Beale  again  wrote  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  on  the  subject  he  had  so  near 
at  heart,  and  in  the  following  terms: 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  Nov.  5,  1863. 
SIR: 

While  I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  reply  to  my  letter 
in  relation  to  possessing  ourselves  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Colorado  and  the  Peninsula  of  Lower  California  I  must 
beg  again  to  intrude  upon  your  time  on  the  same 
subject. 

Every  day  more  and  more  convinces  me  of  the  importance 
of  our  owning  the  country  of  which  I  have  spoken.  Every 
day  new  and  rich  discoveries  in  the  precious  metals  are 
drawing  attention  to  that  region  and  rendering  its  purchase 
more  difficult.  If  Mexico  could  always  keep  it,  it  would 
be  greatly  to  our  disadvantage,  but  in  the  hands  or  under 
the  influence  and  control  of  any  other  Power,  it  would  be 
ruinous  to  our  commercial  prospects  on  that  part  of  the 
Coast. 

We  must  have  the  whole  Peninsula  with  its  magnificent 
harbors  and  bays  even  if  we  have  to  fight  France  for  it.  I 
beg  you  to  remember  that  this  river  reaches  with  its 
tributaries  spread  out  like  a  fan  for  a  thousand  miles  into 
the  very  bowels  of  our  continent  and  terminates  in  that 
long  and  narrow  placid  sea  which  washes  the  shores  of 
Sonora  on  one  side,  and  the  Peninsula  of  Lower  California 
on  the  other,  for  more  than  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
miles. 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    265 

The  Gulf  of  California  is  the  mouth  of  the  Colorado. 

It  is  possible  to  buy  up  for  insignificant  sums  immense 
grants  of  land  in  both  Sonora  and  Lower  California.  These 
grants  are  what  are  called  floating  grants,  that  is,  they  are 
unlocated.  It  occurred  to  me  to  buy  up  these  grants  and 
locate  them  so  as  to  cover  the  mouth  of  the  Colorado  and 
that  this  title  might  be  somehow  transferred  to  the  U.  S.  Gov 
ernment.  It  is  true  an  individual  would  not,  in  making  the 
purchase,  buy  with  it  the  sovereignty,  but  the  fact  that  the 
land  was  all  owned  by  citizens  of  the  United  States  might 
predispose  Mexico  to  part  with  its  sovereignty  for  a  small 
consideration  of  some  commercial  character  which  we 
could  make.  It  may  be  that  this  is  not  possible,  but  in 
conference  with  Mr.  Brown  and  Col.  James,  we  thought  it 
probable  that  your  experience  might  find  in  this  scheme 
something  by  which  this  most  desirable  result  could  be 
accomplished. 

I  trust  you  will  not  think  I  underrate  the  hazards  of  a  war 
with  France.  I  believe  I  fully  appreciate  all  its  cost  added 
to  our  present  struggle  but  I  know  that  in  a  few  months 
more  it  will  be  almost  impossible  to  possess  ourselves  of  this 
country,  and  I  believe  it  worth  all  a  war  will  cost  us.  More 
over  since  your  letter  I  find  Juarez  is  again  at  the  head  of  a 
respectable  army  and  as  we  still  recognize  his  Government 
why  could  not  a  secret  treaty  of  purchase  be  made  with  him 
and  kept  secret  for  the  present  until  we  have  more  time  to 
devote  to  outside  matters? 

I  beg  you  to  excuse  my  writing  to  you  again  on  this  sub 
ject.  I  do  it  with  infinite  regret,  for  I  can  imagine  how 
every  moment  of  your  time  is  fully  occupied.  Still,  I  am 
somewhat  encouraged  to  intrude  upon  you  again,  as  I 
interpret  that  portion  of  your  late  speech  at  Cincinnati 
(Oct.  12)  into  a  determination  not  to  allow  France  to  have 
things  entirely  her  own  way  in  Mexico  and  your  very  kind 
letter  to  me  satisfies  me  that  the  interests  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  are  not  forgotten  or  neglected  by  you  in  the  midst  of 


266  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

all  the  herculean  labors  you  are  daily  performing  in  the 
service  of  your  country. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  Obt.  Servt.,  etc., 

E.  F.  BEALE. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE, 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

If  the  press  of  California  is  to-day  well  informed 
the  Congressional  delegation  of  that  State  would 
seem  to  be  under  instructions  from  their  constit 
uents  to  bring  to  the  attention  of  Congress  in  the 
winter  of  1912  the  policy  of  reshaping  the  Mexican 
frontier  line  which  General  Beale  urged  so  strongly 
upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  1863. 

The  plans,  the  hopes  and  the  fears  of  the  Mexican 
revolutionists  of  the  day  are  very  clearly  revealed 
in  the  following  letters  addressed  to  Beale  by  Gen. 
Placido  Vega  who  was  operating  in  Sinaloa. 
Spanish  originals  of  these  letters  are  preserved 
among  the  Beale  papers. 

GENERALS-IN-CHIEF  OF  THE  BRIGADE  OF  SINALOA 

EXCELLENCY: 

In  the  many  conferences  which  we  have  had  with 
reference  to  the  French  Invasion  and  the  firm  resolve  of  the 
Constitutional  Government  to  fight  to  the  last  extremity  to 
defend  the  nationality  and  independence  of  our  country,  it 
has  given  me  very  great  pleasure  to  see  the  interest  and 
the  sympathy  with  which  you  have  followed  the  heroic 
efforts  of  my  Fatherland  in  the  defence  of  the  most  sacred 
of  causes. 

Of  course  nothing  less  was  to  be  expected  from  a  worthy 
general  of  the  Republic,  nourished  and  fortified  in  the 
doctrines  of  Liberty  and  in  the  rights  of  man,  or  from  one 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    267 

who  also  understands  how  dangerous  it  would  be  for  the 
political  principles  in  the  worship  of  which  we  are  core 
ligionists,  to  permit  the  development  on  the  American 
Continent  of  the  monarchical  principle  that  the  party  of 
European  Reaction  pretends  and  seeks  to  promulgate. 

Holding  as  I  do  these  views  the  generous  offers  which  you 
have  been  kind  enough  to  make,  of  your  services  for  the 
purpose  of  expediting  the  export  of  arms  and  munitions 
which  have  been  gathered  in  this  city  compel  the  deepest 
gratitude  of  my  countrymen,  and  of  the  Constitutional 
Government  and  I  for  my  part  am  pleased  to  be  called  upon 
to  voice  this  sentiment  in  which  I  participate  in  the  highest 
degree. 

I  accept  then  the  good  disposition  you  have  shown  in 
favor  of  my  country's  cause  and  leave  entirely  to  your 
loyalty  and  good  faith  all  the  arrangements  for  the  departure 
of  the  munitions  and  arms  from  this  state  that  may  seem 
to  you  most  convenient,  in  the  understanding  however  that 
I  will  personally  embark  on  the  ship  with  them. 

The  munitions  referred  to  are  now  deposited  in  the  ware 
houses  of  the  government,  and  also  in  those  of  private 
individuals.  In  the  same  way  they  should  be  sent  out  to 
the  Colorado  consigned  to  the  person  you  may  see  fit  to 
designate. 

At  the  first  opportunity  I  shall  place  in  your  hands  the 
receipts  and  all  the  papers  relative  to  the  consignment  so 
that  you  may  arrange  the  freight  and  indeed  all  other 
questions  which  their  export  may  entail.  I  also  beg  to 
inform  you  for  your  guidance  that  I  will  bring  on  board 
with  me  very  excellent  pilots  of  the  coasts  in  question  whom 
I  have  recruited  in  advance  for  the  greater  security  of  our 
landing. 

The  well  deserved  influence  and  consideration  which  you 
enjoy  in  the  official  and  all  respectable  circles  in  this  city 
and  in  the  other  states  of  the  Union  procure  for  you  facilities 
to  render  important  services  to  my  country  such  as  no  one 


268  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

else  could ;  for  this  reason  and  because  I  am  convinced  that 
your  party  has  sympathy  for  our  cause  and  the  good  will 
to  aid  us  to  sustain  it,  I  do  not  impress  upon  you  the  fact 
that  the  actual  circumstances  of  the  Constitutional  Govern 
ment  of  Mexico  demands  the  greatest  economy  in  the  pur 
chase  of  arms  although  they  are  so  urgently  needed.  And 
it  is  on  the  score  of  this  very  urgency  that  I  suggest  to  you 
to  select  a  steamer  so  that  the  cargo  may  the  sooner  arrive. 
Even  the  very  moments  are  indeed  precious. 

The  preceding  suggestions  should  not  be  construed  as 
instructions  for  the  performance  of  the  mission  you  have 
been  so  kind  as  to  accept.  On  the  contrary  I  merely  submit 
them  to  your  good  judgment  so  that  you  may  modify  them  as 
you  think  best  and  in  order  that  you  may  with  your  per 
fect  knowledge  of  men  and  of  affairs  adopt  the  means  most 
suitable  for  carrying  out  the  work  we  have  in  hand.  In 
sending  this  note  I  have  the  honor  to  offer  to  you  the 
consideration  of  my  particular  respect  and  esteem. 
Independence — Liberty — Reform. 

San  Francisco,  May  I7th,  1864, 

PLACIDO  VEGA. 
To  Gen.  E.  F.  BEALE. 

And  again  on  the  following  day  General  Vega 
writes: 

MEXICAN  REPUBLIC, 
DEPARTMENT  OF  SINALOA. 

The  Supreme  Government  of  the  Mexican  Republic, 
vested  by  the  honorable  Congress  with  extraordinary 
powers  has  authorized  me  to  dispose  of  the  Salinas  or  salt 
works  or  deposits  on  the  Island  of  Carmen,  which  belong  to 
the  territory  of  Lower  California,  so  that  funds  may  be 
secured  with  which  it  would  be  possible  to  purchase  the 
machinery  necessary  to  the  manufacture  of  munitions  of 
war.  The  salt  deposits  have  been  profitably  worked  and 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    269 

there  is  no  reason  to  fear  they  would  not  be  profitable  to  any 
one  advancing  money  on  the  lease. 

With  the  object  of  raising  the  desired  funds  I  delegated 
my  authority  in  the  matter  to  the  Licenciado  Jose*  Aguirre 
de  la  Barrera  who  acting  under  the  instructions  which  I 
communicated  to  him  previously  went  to  New  York  and  to 
other  states  and  cities  of  the  Union.  He  was  by  means  of 
very  brilliant  work  successful.  I  shall  not  molest  Your 
Excellency  with  the  details  of  his  mission,  in  forming  a 
company  to  lease  the  salt  works  on  the  lines  and  in  the 
manner  set  forth  in  the  contract  which  I  submit  herewith 
as  an  enclosure. 

All  possible  funds  having  been  obtained  in  this  manner 
we  have  been  able  to  purchase  the  machinery  and  the 
munitions  of  war  so  ardently  desired  by  my  Government. 
These  articles  should  arrive  in  this  port  within  a  short  time. 
I  would  also  inform  you,  as  the  enclosed  papers  show,  that 
we  have  purchased  five  thousand  Austrian  rifles  through 
the  agency  of  Licenciado  Pedro  Barrera  and  these 
rifles  are  also  expected  to  arrive  in  this  city  in  a  few 
days. 

I  have  wished  to  keep  you  informed  of  these  events 
because  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  reciprocate  the  many 
marks  of  sympathy  and  confidence  you  have  been  good 
enough  to  show  to  my  country  and  to  my  cause,  also  because 
I  trust  you  will  continue  to  assist  Senores  Barrera  and 
Aguirre  in  carrying  out  the  duties  with  which  they  have 
been  charged. 

These  gentlemen,  who  already  have  the  honor  of  being 
in  communication  with  you  will  inform  you  of  any  details 
you  may  wish  to  know  in  regard  to  our  current  affairs  and 
will  call  upon  you  should  circumstances  arise  requiring 
your  influence  and  co-operation.  Again  I  have  the  honor 
to  renew  the  assurances  of  my  respectful  thanks  and 
sincere  esteem. 

Independence — Liberty — Reform. 


270  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Beale  was  at  this  time  in  close  touch  with  General 
Grant.  They  had  after  Vicksburg  resumed  their 
long  interrupted  correspondence.  Grant  was  more 
strongly  in  favor  of  a  forward  policy  in  Mexico 
than  Seward  and  would  seem  to  have  been,  from 
1864  on,  in  communication  with  the  Liberals  of 
Mexico,  Beale  probably  acting  as  his  intermediary. 
Grant's  attitude  at  this  time  is  made  plain  in  Gen 
eral  Badeau's  volume,  Grant  in  Peace.  Badeau  says 
that  on  the  first  day  of  the  Grand  Review  in 
Washington,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  Grant 
hurried  Sheridan  off  to  Texas  (see  page  181): 

"There  must  be  a  large  amount  of  captured  ordnance 
in  your  command,"  said  Grant,  and  Sheridan  was  directed 
to  send  none  of  these  articles  to  the  North.  "  Rather  place 
them, "  said  Grant,  "convenient  to  be  permitted  to  go  into 
Mexico,  if  they  can  be  gotten  into  the  hands  of  the  defenders 
of  the  only  Government  we  recognize  in  that  country.  "• 

On  the  3Oth  of  July,  1866,  Grant  again  wrote  Sheridan, 
"Since  the  repeal  of  our  neutrality  laws  I  am  in  hopes  of 
being  able  to  get  authority  to  dispose  of  all  our  surplus 
ammunition  within  your  command  to  the  Liberals  of 
Mexico.  Seward  is  a  powerful  ally  of  Louis  Napoleon,  in 
my  opinion,  but  I  am  strongly  in  hope  that  his  aid  will  do 
the  Empire  no  good. " 

Evidently  the  Administration  in  Washington 
was  of  two  minds  how  to  approach  the  problem 
which  the  presence  of  Maximilian  in  Mexico  pre 
sented.  While  sending  notes,  more  or  less  diplo 
matic,  to  the  Tuileries,  with  the  tacit  approval 
of  the  Administration,  something  much  more  sub- 


Kit  Carson  Statue 

Frederick  MacMonnies,  Sculptor 

Courtesy  of  Theodore  H.  Starr,  Esq. 


General  Beale  as  Surveyor-General    271 

stantial  was  sent  across  the  frontier  to  the  Liberals 
of  Mexico,  and  it  is  certain  that  all  the  surplus 
ammunition  and  the  condemned  muskets  so  plenti 
ful  at  the  close  of  the  war  in  Texas  now  mysteri 
ously  disappeared.  For  his  part,  General  Beale 
turned  over  to  General  Vega  eight  thousand  mus 
kets.  He  never  was  inclined  to  speak  of  the  provi 
dence  of  these  muskets  but  seemed  confident  they 
fell  into  the  hands  of  Juarez  and  were  used  in  the 
battles  around  Queretaro  in  which  the  fate  of  the 
Mexican  Empire  was  tragically  decided.  This 
view  was  confirmed  twenty  years  later  when  Presi 
dent  Diaz,  at  a  Union  League  Club  dinner  in  New 
York  at  which  Beale  was  present  and  made  the 
address  of  welcome,  hailed  him  as  a  friend  of 
Mexico  in  her  hour  of  trial  and  as  one  who  had 
contributed  mightily  to  the  restoration  of  her 
liberties. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XV 
LIFE  ON  THE  TEJON  RANCHO 

Beale  Resigns  as  Surveyor- General  and  Retires  to  Tejon — 
Purchases  More  Land  from  Absentee  Landlords 
— Description  of  the  Bakersfield  Country  when  Kern 
County  was  a  Wilderness — The  Spring,  the  Fig  Trees 
and  the  Live  Oaks — A  Rodeo — Robber  Bands — Near 
est  Justice  One  Hundred  and  Fifty  Miles  Away! — 
Sale  of  Sheep  in  San  Francisco — Mexicans  who  Panned 
for  Gold  before  the  Forty-niners — Lincoln  and  Beale 
Anecdotes — "Monarch  of  All  He  Surveys" — Charles 
Nordhoff's  Visit  to  Tejon — Description  of  Life  There 
— His  Praise  of  What  General  Beale  had  Accom 
plished — Kit  Carson's  Ride  by  Joaquin  Miller — Beale 
Falls  Foul  of  the  Poet— Sad  Scenes  on  the  Rancho. 

WHEN   the   Civil   War  was  over   General 
Beale  sent  in  his  resignation  as  surveyor- 
general  and  retired  to  the  Tejon  Rancho. 
Here  he  spent  much,  indeed  most  of  his  time  until 
well  on  to  the  end  of  his  life  when,  deeply  interested 
as  he  always  was  in  the  political  questions  of  the 
day,  his  annual  visits  to  Chester,  Pennsylvania, 
and  to  the  National  Capital  were  greatly  prolonged. 
The  Tejon  lands  were  purchased  by  General 

Beale  from  Mexicans  and  Spaniards,  who  lived  in 

272 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  273 

Los  Angeles,  and  who  took  very  good  care  never  to 
go  near  the  enormous  land  grants  which  they  had 
heired.  General  Beale  was  accustomed  to  relate 
with  considerable  humor  that  he  often  had  to  con 
vince  these  absentee  landlords  that  they  were 
legally  possessed  of  the  land  before  inducing  them 
to  sell.  While  in  comparison  with  the  recognized 
value  of  Kern  County  lands  to-day  the  prices 
paid  for  these  grants  seem  merely  nominal,  the 
vendors  were  delighted,  regarding  naturally  the 
purchase  money  for  something  they  did  not  well 
know  they  owned  as  so  much  gold  picked  up  by 
the  roadside. 

There  was  a  deserted  fort  on  the  place,  the  lands 
were  unoccupied,  and  no  one  passed  that  way  ex 
cept  an  occasional  detachment  of  troops,  changing 
post,  and  now  and  again  a  roving  band  of  Indians 
on  some  predatory  excursion.  However,  the  place 
appealed  to  General  Beale  as  had  no  other  spot  he 
had  come  upon  in  his  many  travels,  and  here 
actually  and  not  figuratively  he  pitched  his  tent 
and  began  to  prepare  with  what  philosophy  he 
could  summon  for  those  long  years  which  overtake 
even  the  most  nimble  traveller. 

The  Tejon  Rancho  rose  five  hundred  feet  above 
the  present  town  of  Bakersfield,  and  enjoyed,  as 
General  Beale  once  wrote  to  an  envious  friend 
summering  on  the  Potomac  flats,  "a  refreshing 
atmosphere  of  perpetual  spring  which  never 
becomes  close  summer/' 

Here  the  wanderer  camped  by  his  own  spring 


IS 


274  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

and  planted  his  own  fig  trees.  Not  indeed  that 
shade  was  wanting.  It  was  perhaps  the  wide- 
spreading  umbrageous  live  oaks  that  had  first 
chained  his  wandering  fancy.  One  of  these  pri 
meval  forest  trees,  as  the  General  satisfied  himself, 
not  by  rule  of  thumb  but  by  the  careful  surveying 
in  which  he  delighted,  covered  with  its  pendent 
branches  a  circumference  of  two  hundred  feet. 

Some  three  hundred  Indian  herders,  or  rather 
Indians  who  became  herders,  the  same  soft-spoken 
but  uneasy  fellows  who  had  apparently  driven  the 
previous  owners  to  seek  refuge  in  the  towns,  lived 
in  an  adobe  village  at  the  Monte  near  the  entrance 
to  the  Tejon  Canyon. 

Some  idea  of  the  life  on  the  ranch  in  these  early 
days  is  given  in  the  following  letter  of  General 
Beale  to  his  children  who  were  then  in  the  East  on 
a  visit. 

RANCHO  DE  LA  LIEBRE,  May  3,  1865. 
MY  DEAR  CHILDREN: 

The  past  few  days  have  been  of  such  excessive  labor 
that  I  could  not  fulfil  my  intention,  as  promised  in  my 
letter  to  your  dear  Mother,  of  writing  the  day  after  to  you. 
On  the  first  of  May  I  rode  from  noon  until  six  o'clock, 
forty-five  miles.  Then  from  that  time  until  night  worked 
anxiously  and  hard  on  the  rodeo  ground  with  from  five  to 
seven  thousand  head  of  cattle  parting  out  five  hundred  for 
market.  Unfortunately  in  putting  them  in  the  corral  for 
the  night  they  became  alarmed  and  many  escaped,  which 
gave  me  all  the  next  day  to  collect  again,  so  that  it  was 
noon  to-day  before  I  could  start  Mr.  Hudson  on  the  road 
with  them,  and  after  seeing  him  ten  miles  on  the  way,  rode 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  275 

back  and  threw  myself  perfectly  exhausted  on  the  bed,  and 
went  to  sleep,  and  have  just  now  awakened.  A  good  bath 
has  greatly  refreshed  me. 

The  country  I  am  sorry  to  say  is  in  a  very  disturbed 
condition, — robbers  swarm  over  it  in  bands  of  ten  to  thirty, 
and  only  to-day  some  fifty  soldiers  stopped  here  who  were 
looking  for  a  large  party  of  secessionists  and  thieves  who 
had  stolen  from  my  Rancho,  at  the  Tejon,  a  large  herd  of 
one  of  my  neighbor's  horses,  who  had  just  collected  them  to 
gather  his  cattle  with.  But  the  soldiers  will  not  catch  them 
or  distinguish  themselves  in  any  way  under  their  thick 
headed  General  McDowell.  The  whole  countryside  here 
has  never  before  been  in  such  a  horrible  condition,  even  this 
lawless  region  where  our  nearest  Justice  of  the  Peace  is 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  off !  So  far  they  have  not  robbed 
me,  but  my  turn  may  come,  and  when  it  does  I  shall  defend 
my  property  as  long  as  I  have  life.  Our  house  is  well  pro 
vided  with  arms  and  my  people  faithful  and  attached  so 
that  I  feel  prepared  and  secure. 

In  my  last  letter  to  your  dear  Motfier  I  told  of  my  sale 
of  sheep  at  San  Francisco.  I  must  now  tell  you  of  what 
befell  my  shepherd  on  his  return.  He  was  encamped  on 
the  shores  of  the  great  Tulare  Lake,  and  for  protection 
against  the  wind  had  made  his  camp  some  considerable 
distance  within  the  tall  and  exuberant  growth  of  flags  and 
reeds  twice  as  high  as  one's  head,  which  we  call  tule.  This 
tule  is  frequently  fired  by  the  Indians  to  scare  out  the 
game,  which  seek  its  shelter  from  pursuit  or  natural  inclina 
tion  for  such  localities,  and  at  such  times  ill  betide  the 
unfortunate  who  cannot  escape  the  flames.  In  that  long 
journey  of  mine  alone  and  on  foot  through  them,  I  found 
the  calcined  bones  of  some  unhappy  wretch  who  had  been 
overtaken  in  them  and  perished  miserably  in  this  manner. 
Well,  to  go  on  with  my  story. 

About  midnight  the  shepherd  lying  wrapped  in  his 
blankets  and  fast  asleep,  was  roused  by  his  dog  jumping 


276  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

vehemently  on  his  breast,  and  barking  violently  and  tearing 
at  the  blanket  which  covered  him.  At  first  he  thought  it 
was  sunrise,  it  was  so  bright  around  him,  and  that  the  dog 
was  mad,  but  the  instant  the  faithful  brute  (it  hurts  my 
feelings  and  jars  upon  me  to  call  such  a  noble  animal  brute, 
while  assassins  and  murderers  escape  that  reproachful  term 
and  are  called  men)  found  his  master  was  thoroughly 
awakened,  he  fled  with  a  howl  directly  for  the  open  land 
beyond  the  tule,  and  at  the  same  instant  the  shepherd 
became  aware  that  the  devouring  flame  was  upon  him.  He 
had  barely  time,  a  little  scorched,  to  escape  with  life  and 
lost  only  his  camp. 

The  General  kept  open  house  at  all  times  at 
Tejon  according  to  the  Californian  custom,  whether 
he  was  in  residence  or  not.  He  would  talk  to  all 
comers  concerning  his  companions,  the  Argonauts, 
of  Stockton,  of  Carson  and  of  Fremont,  Sloat 
and  Kearny.  As  to  his  own  exploits  he  was 
modest  and  non-committal.  Late  in  the  seventies 
however  one  of  the  San  Francisco  papers  awoke 
to  the  fact  that  the  pioneers  were  dying  and  that 
it  was  high  time  that  something,  at  least,  of  what 
they  knew  should  be  committed  to  paper.  So  a 
most  expert  questioner  was  sent  to  Antelope  Valley 
and  we  are  indebted  to  him  for  information 
which  has  escaped  other  chroniclers. 

"When  in  1857  I  came  from  Little  Salt  Lake  in  Utah  via 
Amargosa,"  said  the  General,  "and  struck  this  valley  at 
Big  Rock,  I  travelled  West  to  Tejon  Pass  along  the  foothills 
and  was  as  you  can  imagine  highly  impressed  with  the 
country.  There  was  considerable  grass  and  wild  game  but 
not  a  single  human  being  did  we  see.  At  Elizabeth  Lake 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  277 

the  ducks  and  geese  were  so  thick  that  I  killed  three  ducks 
with  one  shot  of  my  rifle.  We  did  not  have  shot  guns  then. " 
"My  attention,"  continued  the  General,  "was  first 
called  to  this  ranch,  the  first  land  sold  in  the  Antelope 
Valley  since  the  conquest,  by  a  curious  incident  which  was 
not  without  influence  upon  the  course  of  my  life.  I  chanced 
to  enter  the  U.  S.  Court  House  in  Monterey  while  a  Mexican 
witness  was  being  examined.  He  was  a  man  whom  the 
owners  of  the  Liebre  Rancho  had  living  there.  It  was  then 
held  though  afterwards  discarded, "  interjected  the  General, 
"that  to  make  a  Spanish  grant  good  there  had  to  be  occu 
pancy."  "I  was  panning  out  gold  on  the  San  Felipe 
mountain, "  asserted  the  Mexican  witness  and  the  watching 
lawyer  thought  he  had  caught  him  in  a  falsehood 
but  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  Mexican  succeeded  in  prov 
ing  that  he  had  panned  gold  south  of  the  Liebre  years 
before  the  official  discovery  of  gold.  "I  bought  this 
forty  thousand  acre  tract  and  started  to  raise  cattle. 
In  those  days  my  nearest  neighbors  were  at  Visalia  on 
one  side  and  at  Los  Angeles  on  the  other."  From 
Liebre,  the  correspondent  rode  with  the  General  back  to 
his  usual  residence  at  Tejon.  Together  they  traversed 
several  other  tracts  of  land  which  the  General  had  pur 
chased  and  which  taken  in  the  aggregate  made  an  estate 
half  as  large  as  the  state  of  Rhode  Island.  They  met 
fifteen  thousand  cattle  on  the  way  and  five  hundred  horses 
and  they  spent  the  evening  at  Tejon.  "It  was  crisp  and 
cool,"  writes  the  correspondent,  "and  we  sat  by  the  open 
fire-place  with  a  rousing  fire  which  made  the  spacious  room 
in  the  great  adobe  house  cheerful  with  its  glow." 

A  witty  though  absolutely  groundless  story  is 
told  about  Lincoln  and  General  Beale,  and  the 
latter 's  great  landed  possessions.  Lincoln  is  re 
ported  as  saying  that  he  could  not  reappoint  Beale 


278  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

as  surveyor- general  because  "he  became  monarch 
of  all  he  surveyed." 

As  a  matter  of  fact  General  Beale,  to  the 
amusement  of  many  of  his  friends  who  have  since 
died  poor,  purchased  for  cash  all  the  land  in 
California  of  which  he  died  possessed,  and  the 
purchases  were  made  long  before  he  became 
surveyor- general.  While  Beale  only  paid  five 
cents  an  acre  for  much  of  this  land,  this  was  five 
cents  an  acre  more  than  most  people  at  the  time 
thought  it  was  worth,  and  it  was  well  known  that 
for  years  no  white  man  could  be  paid  to  live  on 
the  place  during  the  General's  frequent  absences 
for  fear  of  marauding  Indians  and  white  outlaws. 

General  Beale  enjoyed  the  "surveying  story," 
as  he  called  it,  as  well  as  any  one  else,  but  once 
he  said,  "Some  day  the  archives  of  our  country 
will  tell  why  Lincoln  made  me  Survey  or- General. 
It  had  nothing  to  do  with  rod  or  chain,  but 
much  to  do  with  the  metes  and  bounds  of  the 
Union." 

Charles  Nordhoff,  the  celebrated  writer  and  jour 
nalist,  visited  the  Pacific  Coast  in  1872  and  dedi 
cated  the  resulting  book  of  travel,  as  had  Bayard 
Taylor  twenty-three  years  before,  to  General  Beale, 
"in  memory  of  the  pleasant  days  at  Tejon."  To 
this  brilliant  writer  we  are  indebted  for  many 
interesting  sidelights  upon  the  subject  of  this 
narrative  and  upon  the  work  which  General  Beale 
accomplished  both  as-  pathfinder  and  road-builder 
to  the  Pacific  and  as  a  vigorous  and  efficient  citizen 


01 

1 

:§  S> 

3 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  279 

of  the  great  commonwealth  he  lived  to  see  grow 
up  on  the  Pacific  slope. 

Our  host  [writes  Nordhoff]  was  a  sparkling  combination 
of  scholar,  gentleman  and  Indian  fighter,  the  companion 
and  friend  of  Kit  Carson  in  other  days,  the  surveyor  of 
trans-continental  railways  and  wagon  roads  and  the  owner 
to-day  of  what  seems  to  me  the  most  magnificent  estate  in  a 
single  hand  in  America. 

[Again  he  writes]  The  Rancho  from  which  I  write,  the 
Tejon  as  it  is  called,  the  home  of  Gen.  Beale,  contains 
nearly  two  hundred  thousand  acres  and  lies  at  the  junction 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada  with  the  Coast  Range.  These  two 
mountain  ranges  bend  around  toward  each  other  here  in  a 
vast  sweep  and  form  the  bottom  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
They  do  not  quite  meet.  The  Tejon  Pass,  a  narrow  defile, 
separates  them  and  gives  egress  from  the  Valley  into  the 
Los  Angeles  country. 

You  may  ride  for  eighty  miles  on  the  county  road  upon 
this  great  estate.  It  supports  this  year  over  one  hundred 
thousand  sheep;  and  it  has  a  peasantry  of  its  own  about 
whom  I  shall  tell  you  something  presently.  The  Tejon  is 
devoted  to  sheep  and  here  I  saw  the  operation  of  shearing ; 
eight  or  nine  weeks  are  required  to  shear  the  whole  flock,  as 
well  as  the  various  details  of  the  management  of  a  California 
sheep  farm. 

What  we  call  at  home  a  flock  is  in  California  called  a  band 
of  sheep.  These  bands  consist  usually  of  from  1300  to 
2000  sheep  and  each  band  is  in  the  charge  of  a  shepherd. 

"This  country  is  quiet  now,"  said  the  General  one  evening 
in  a  reminiscent  mood,  "but  when  I  first  came  into  it  it 
contained  some  rough  people.  The  head  of  the  famous 
robber  Joaquin  Murieta  and.  the  hand  of  his  lieutenant, 
'Three-fingered'  Jack,  were  brought  into  my  camp  but  a 
few  hours  after  those  two  scoundrels  were  shot.  Jack 
Powers  and  his  gang  used  to  herd  their  bands  of  stolen 


280  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

horses  on  my  ranch  as  they  drove  them  through  the  coun 
try;  and  Jack  once  kindly  came  to  tell  me  that  he  would 
kill  the  first  man  of  his  gang  that  took  anything  from  me. 
Mason  and  Henry,  the  worst  of  all  the  road  agents  in  this 
state,  used  to  go  through  Kern  County  waylaying  and  rob 
bing  ;  and  in  those  days  a  man  had  to  be  careful  not  only  of 
his  money  but  of  his  life." 

Of  course  the  sheep  are  scattered  over  many  miles  of  ter 
ritory,  but  each  band  has  a  limited  range,  defined  somewhat 
by  the  vicinity  of  water,  and  it  is  customary  in  California 
to  drive  them  every  night  into  a  corral  or  inclosure  usually 
fenced  with  brush  and  with  a  narrow  entrance.  This  corral 
is  near  water  and  the  sheep  drink  at  morning  and  evening. 
The  shepherd  sleeps  near  by,  in  a  hut,  or,  in  the  mountainous 
part  of  the  Tejon  Rancho,  in  a  tepestra.  The  corral  is  to  keep 
the  sheep  together,  and  in  a  measure  protect  them  against 
the  attacks  of  wild  beasts,  which,  curiously  enough  are  too 
cowardly  to  venture  after  dark  inside  of  even  a  low  fence. 
The  tepestra  is  to  protect  the  shepherd  himself  against  the 
attacks  of  grizzly  bears  which  are  still  abundant  in  the 
mountains,  especially  in  the  Coast  Range. 

The  tepestra  is  a  platform  about  12  feet  high,  built  upon 
stout  poles  solidly  set  into  the  ground.  On  this  platform 
the  shepherd  sleeps,  in  the  mountains,  at  the  entrance  to 
the  corral;  the  grizzly  bear  cannot  climb  a  pole,  though  he 
can  get  up  a  tree  large  enough  to  give  his  claws  a  hold.  It 
is,  I  believe,  not  infrequent  for  a  grizzly  to  stand  up  at  the 
side  of  a  tepestra  at  night  and  try  to  rouse  the  shepherd. 
But  all  the  men  are  armed  with  guns  which  they  carry  day 
and  night. 

The  grizzly  does  not  usually  attack  sheep.  The  Califor 
nia  lion,  a  very  strong  but  cowardly  beast,  the  wildcat,  the 
fox  and  the  coyote,  are  the  sheep's  enemies.  The  last 
named  is  easily  poisoned  with  meal  which  has  strychnine 
powdered  over  it.  The  others  are  hunted  when  they 
become  troublesome,  and  as  the  lion  upon  the  slightest 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  281 

alarm  will  take  to  a  tree,  and  will  run  even  from  a  small  dog, 
it  is  not  accounted  a  very  troublesome  beast. 

Indians,  Spaniards,  Chinese,  and  some  Scotchmen,  serve 
as  shepherds  in  California.  The  last  are  thought  the  best, 
and  the  Chinese  make  very  faithful  shepherds,  if  they  are 
properly  and  carefully  trained.  They  are  apt  to  herd  the 
sheep  too  closely  together  at  first.  Dogs  I  have  found  but 
little  used  in  the  sheep  ranches  I  have  seen.  They  are  not 
often  thoroughly  trained,  and  where  they  are  neglected  be 
come  a  nuisance.  Of  course  the  shepherds  have  to  be  sup 
plied  at  stated  intervals  with  food.  They  usually  receive 
a  week's  rations  which  they  cook  for  themselves. 

At  the  Tejon'  there  are  two  supply  stations,  and  every 
morning  donkeys  and  mules  were  sent  out  with  food  to 
some  distant  shepherds.  The  ration-masters  count  the 
sheep  as  they  deliver  the  rations,  and  thus  all  the  sheep  are 
counted  once  a  week  and  if  any  sheep  are  missing  they 
must  be  accounted  for.  The  shepherd  is  allowed  to  kill  a 
sheep  once  in  so  many  days  but  he  must  keep  the  pelt  which 
is  valuable.  Above  the  ration-masters  are  the  major- 
domos.  Each  of  these  has  charge  of  a  certain  number  of 
bands;  on  a  smaller  estate  there  is  usually  but  one  major- 
domo.  It  is  his  duty  to  see  that  the  shepherds  are  compe 
tent  ;  that  new  pasturage  is  ready  when  a  band  has  need  for 
it ;  to  see  that  the  corrals  are  in  good  order ;  to  provide  extra 
hands  at  lambing  time;  to  examine  the  sheep,  to  keep  out 
scab  which  is  almost  the  only  disease  sheep  are  subject  to 
in  this  State;  and  to  give  out  the  rations  for  distribution. 

On  such  an  estate  as  the  Tejon  there  is  finally  a  general 
superintendent  and  a  bookkeeper  and  a  storekeeper,  for 
here  in  the  wilderness  a  supply  of  goods  of  various  kinds 
must  be  kept  up  for  the  use  of  the  people.  A  blacksmith, 
teamsters,  plowmen,  gardeners  and  house  servants  make  up 
the  complement  of  the  Tejon's  company.  The  gardeners 
and  servants  are  Chinese  as  they  usually  are  in  this  State, 
and  very  good  men  they  are — civil,  obliging,  and  competent. 


282  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Besides  these  numbers  fed  from  the  home  place  there 
are  on  this  estate  about  300  Indians,  who  have  been  allowed 
to  fence  in  small  tracts  of  land,  on  which  they  raise  barley 
and  other  provisions,  and  in  some  cases  plant  fruit  trees  and 
vines.  They  form  the  peasantry  of  whom  I  spoke  above, 
and  are  a  happy,  tolerably  thrifty,  and  very  comfortable 
people.  Their  surplus  produce  is  purchased  by  the  super 
intendent  ;  when  their  labor  is  used  they  are  paid ;  and  they 
all  have  horses  which  pasture  on  the  general  fields.  They 
have  learned  how  to  plow,  shear  sheep,  and  perform  some 
other  useful  labor. 

Now  these  Indians  came  to  the  Tejon  naked,  except  a 
breech  clout,  feeding  miserably  on  grasshoppers,  worms 
and  acorns,  ignorant,  savage  nomads.  They  were  first 
brought  here  when  a  part  of  this  rancho  was  used  by  the 
Government  as  an  Indian  Reservation.  Gen.  Beale,  the 
present  owner  of  the  Tejon,  was  then  Superintendent  of 
Indian  Affairs  in  this  State,  and  he  has  seen  these  people 
emerge  from  a  condition  of  absolute  barbarism  and  wretched 
ness  into  a  degree  of  comfort  and  prosperity  greater  than 
that  enjoyed  by  the  majority  of  Irish  peasants;  they  have 
abandoned  their  nomadic  habits,  have  built  neat  and  com 
fortable  houses  and  fenced  in  ground  which  they  cultivate. 
Their  women  dress  neatly  and  understand  how  to  cook  food. 
The  men  earn  money  as  sheep  shearers.  In  some  places 
vineyards  and  fruit  trees  have  been  brought  by  them  to  a 
bearing  condition.  In  short  these  human  beings  were  sav 
ages,  and  are — well,  they  are  as  civilized  as  a  good  many 
who  come  in  emigrant  ships  from  Europe  to  New  York. 

And  all  this  has  been  accomplished  under  the  eye  and  by 
the  careful  and  kindly  management  of  the  owner  of  the 
Tejon  Rancho.  It  seemed  a  great  thing  for  any  man  to 
achieve,  and  certainly  these  people  compared  in  every  way 
favorably  with  a  similar  class  whom  I  saw  on  the  Tule 
River  Indian  Reservation,  living  at  the  expense  of  the 
Government,  idle,  gambling,  lounging,  evil-eyed  and  good 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  283 

for  nothing.  If  the  Tule  River  Reservation  be  abandoned, 
the  Government  would  save  a  handsome  sum  of  money,  and 
the  farmers  would  find  a  useful  laboring  force,  where  now 
there  are  three  or  four  hundred  idle  vagabonds,  who  when 
they  do  go  out  to  work,  as  some  of  them  do,  still  receive 
rations  and  clothing  from  the  Government,  and  use  their 
own  earnings  for  gambling  and  debauchery. 

Gen.  Beale's  Indians  have  been  raised  to  a  far  better 
condition  by  his  own  private  efforts,  than  the  Reservation 
Indians  after  years  of  expensive  support  from  the  Govern 
ment.  They  shear  all  the  Tejon  sheep,  and  are  thus,  of 
course,  of  value  to  the  estate,  and  they  are  useful  in  many 
other  ways.  Unluckily  their  language  is  Spanish.  It 
seemed  to  me  a  pity  that  when  they  had  to  learn  a  new 
language,  English  had  not  been  taught  them. 

The  Tehatchapie  Pass  by  which  the  Southern  Pacific 
railroad  is  to  pass  from  Bakersfield  into  the  Mohave  Plain 
is  part  of  the  Tejon  Rancho,  and  when  I  came  to  drive  into 
that  great  plain,  which  is  just  now  the  home  of  thousands  of 
antelopes,  I  saw  another  fertile  region,  only  awaiting  the 
railroad  to  be  " prospected"  by  settlers.  The  Mohave 
Plains  have  the  name  of  being  uninhabitable,  but  they 
furnish  abundant  pasturage  for  antelopes  and  deer.  They 
lack  running  streams  of  water;  but  a  German,  who  is  the 
first  settler,  has  dug  a  well,  and  found  water  without  going 
far  down,  and  I  saw  on  the  plain  a  fine  field  of  barley  almost 
ready  for  harvesting,  which  showed  the  quality  of  the  soil. 
Stretching  far  into  the  great  uninhabited  plain  is  a  singular 
and  picturesque  mountain  range,  called  the  "Lost  Moun 
tains"  which  relieves  the  dreary  desolation  of  a  great  level, 
and  promises,  in  its  canyons,  springs  and  streams,  pleasant 
homes  for  the  future  settler  when  the  railroad  opens  this 
great  uninhabited  tract. 

Sometimes,  though  not  often,  as  the  Patron  was 
not  a  leisurely  rancher  and  his  days  were  filled 


284  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

with  toil,  General  Beale  would  lay  down  the 
shears  and  take  up  the  pen,  which  he  generally 
used  as  a  cudgel  upon  one  or  another  of  the  Sierra 
poets  who  were  beginning  to  write  with,  as  he 
thought,  little  or  no  regard  for  historical  accuracy, 
of  the  days  of  the  pioneers.  The  most  vigorous, 
sincere,  and  heartfelt  of  these  articles  the  General 
wrote  in  defence  of  his  old  friend  and  comrade,  Kit 
Carson,  whose  life  had  inspired  the  then  youthful 
Joaquin  Miller  to  a  soaring  flight  with  Pegasus. 

The  General's  rejoinder  to  the  Poet  of  the 
Sierras  reads: 

KIT  CARSON'S  RIDE 

Under  this  title  there  comes  to  us  in  Harper's  Weekly,  a 
very  long  poem  by  one  Joaquin  Miller,  of  California.  As 
well  as  we  can  make  it  out,  it  seems  to  be  an  ugly  cross  of 
Browning  on  Swinburne,  and  ought  to  be  put  in  a  moral 
glass  bottle,  labelled  "Poison,"  put  on  a  high  shelf  in  the 
cupboard  out  of  the  reach  of  children,  and  forgotten. 

It  is  rarely  that  the  license  allowed  to  poets  has  been  more 
thoroughly  abused  than  in  the  ill-written  lines  which  are 
contained  in  the  article  that  heads  this  notice.  As  a  rule  in 
poetry  when  fact  is  departed  from,  it  has  always  been  to 
exaggerate  the  virtues  of  a  departed  hero,  but  never  to 
slander  him  by  rendering  his  picture  ridiculous,  much  less 
indecent,  and  as  we  recall  the  modest,  earnest,  refined 
simplicity  of  Carson,  and  compare  it  with  the  frenzied  and 
licentious  buffoon  presented  in  the  poem  and  picture 
referred  to,  we  cannot  but  regret  that  the  scalp  of  Joaquin 
had  not  been  counted  among  the  "coups "  of  that  redoubted 
knight  of  the  prairies  and  mountains.  How  far  the  descend 
ants  of  that  upright  and  noble  man  might  be  justified  in 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  285 

sueing  the  author  for  defamation  of  character  in  a  city 
court,  we  do  not  know,  but  are  sure  in  the  courts  of  that 
generous  and  active  Judge  Lynch,  away  off  in  the  Rockies, 
where  Kit's  fame  is  yet  cherished  by  many  a  hardy  pioneer, 
we  might  safely  count  on  "Exemplary  damages" — some 
thing  that  would  make  his  hair  stand  on  end. 

What  an  abuse  of  all  common  sense  is  such  stuff — as 
though  a  half-witted  maudlin  had  read  "How  the  news  was 
carried  to  Ghent, "  and  then  slept  off  the  fumes  of  a  debauch 
dreaming  of  "  Chastelard. "  And  this  is  a  representative 
poet!  That  virtuous  gentlewoman,  Dame  Quickly,  says  of 
the  famous  Pistol: 

"He  a  captain!  Hang  him  rogue!  He  lives  upon 
mouldy  stewed  prunes  and  dried  cakes.  A  captain !  These 
villains  will  make  the  word  '  captain '  as  odious  as  the  word 
'occupy/  which  was  an  excellent  good  word  before  it 
was  ill-sorted.  Therefore  Captains  had  need  look  to  it." 

Carson  was  a  man  cleanly  of  mind,  body  and  speech,  and 
by  no  manner  of  means  a  border  ruffian.  He  had  no  gift 
of  swearing.  The  only  oath  I  ever  heard  him  use,  was  that 
of  William  the  Conqueror,  which  I  had  once  read  him  out  of 
a  stray  volume  of  Tristram  Shandy.  On  this  occasion,  he 
drew  a  long  single-barrelled  pistol  (old  Constable's  make), 
which  Fremont  had  given  me,  and  I  to  Kit,  for  we  had  no 
"gold  mounted  Colt's  true  companions  for  years"  in  those 
simple-minded  days,  and  with  slow,  deadly  speech,  which 
carried  the  sense  of  imminent  mischief  in  it,  said  to  one  who 
was  in  the  act  of  a  cowardly  wrong  upon  a  sick  man,  "Ser 
geant,  drop  that  knife,  or  '  by  the  Splendor  of  God, '  I  '11 
blow  your  heart  out. " 

He  had  not  the  advantages  of  education,  but  was  wise  as 
the  beaver,  and  of  great  dignity  and  simplicity  of  character, 
and  not  given  to  the  least  vulgarity  of  thought  or  expression 
nor  would  he  tolerate  it  in  those  about  him. 

It  was  not  enough  that  this  poor  "metre  balladmonger, " 
has  talked  of  scenes  of  which  he  knows  nothing,  and  has 


286  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

misplaced  and  misnamed  all  mountain  craft,  and  the 
chronology  and  geography,  weapons,  and  ranges  of  tribes 
of  Indians  and  the  spirit  of  the  times  whereof  he  speaks. 
It  is  not  enough  that  he  puts  into  the  mouth  of  a  calm, 
dignified,  sweet  nature,  such  words  of  bosh  as  would  make  a 
love-sick  and  idiotic  ape  quite  ashamed  of  himself,  but  he 
slanders  a  character  as  chivalrous  as  that  of  a  knight  of 
romance,  by  making  him  escape  on  his  lady  love's  horse 
from  a  danger  in  which  she  is  left  to  perish.  .  .  . 

General  Beale,  after  a  further  severe  scoring  of 
the  poet  and  his  lines,  pays  this  tribute  to  his  old 
friend : 

Dear  old  Kit.  Not  such  as  the  poet  paints  you  do  I 
recall  the  man  I  loved.  Looking  back  through  the  misty 
years,  I  see  a  man  Tasso,  if  you  had  lived  in  an  earlier  age, 
would  have  placed  by  the  side  of  Godfrey  and  made  the 
companion  of  Tancred  and  Rinaldo.  A  man  pure,  very 
pure,  in  his  nature — not  given  to  lustful  ways,  but  calm, 
serious  and  sweet  of  temper;  a  man  of  very  moderate 
stature,  but  broad  fronted  and  elastic,  yet  by  no  means 
robust  of  frame  though  gifted  with  immense  endurance  and 
nerves  of  steel.  A  head  quite  remarkable  for  its  full  size 
and  very  noble  forehead,  quiet,  thoughtful  blue  eyes,  and 
yellow  hair,  a  very  strong  jaw  and  a  face  dished  like  an 
Arab  horse,  that  made  a  man  who  had  never  seen  him  before 
look  at  him  again  with  the  thought  that  he  would  "do  to 
tie  to."  Arms  rather  long,  and  thin  strong  flanks,  with 
slightly  bandy  legs. 

This  was  the  outward  shape,  which  enclosed  a  spirit  as 
high  and  daring  and  as  noble  as  ever  tenanted  the  body  of  a 
man.  No  man  to  take  a  woman's  horse  because  it  was 
faster  than  his  own  and  leave  her  to  the  prairie  fire,  while  he 
galloped  off  to  twaddle  in  tumid  bosh  over  her  marvellous 
eyes.  What  an  abuse  of  common  sense  is  such  stuff! 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  287 

Oh,  Kit,  my  heart  beats  quicker,  even  now,  when  I  think 
of  the  time,  twenty-five  years  ago,  when  I  lay  on  the  burn 
ing  sands  of  the  great  desert,  under  a  mesquite  bush,  where 
you  had,  tenderly  as  a  woman  would  have  put  her  first 
born,  laid  me,  sore  from  wounds  and  fever,  on  your  only 
blanket.  I  see  the  dim  lake  of  waterless  mirage.  I  see  the 
waving  sands  ripple  with  the  faint  hot  breeze  around  us  and 
break  upon  our  scattered  saddles.  I  see  the  poor  mules 
famishing  of  thirst,  with  their  tucked  flanks  and  dim  eyes, 
and  hear  their  sad,  plaintive  cry  go  up  out  of  the  wilderness 
for  help.  I  see  the  men  dogged  and  resolute  or  despondent, 
standing  around  or  seeking  such  shelter  as  a  saddle  blanket 
thrown  over  a  gun  afforded. 

Without  a  thought  of  ever  seeing  water  again,  you  poured 
upon  my  fevered  lips  the  last  drop  in  camp  from  your 
canteen.  Oh,  Kit,  I  think  again  of  afterwards,  on  bloody 
Gila,  where  we  fought  all  day  and  travelled  all  night,  with 
each  man  his  bit  of  mule  meat  and  no  other  food,  and  when 
worn  from  a  hurt  I  could  go  no  further,  I  begged  you  to 
leave  me  and  save  yourself.  I  see  you  leaning  on  that  long 
Hawkins  gun  of  yours  (mine  now)  and  looking  out  of  those 
clear  blue  eyes  at  me  with  a  surprised  reproach  as  one  who 
takes  an  insult  from  a  friend.  And  I  remember  when  we 
lay  side  by  side  on  the  bloody  battle-field  all  night,  when 
you  mourned  like  a  woman  and  would  not  be  comforted,  not 
for  those  who  had  fallen,  but  for  the  sad  hearts  of  women  at 
home  when  the  sad  tale  would  be  told;  and  I  remember 
another  night  when  we  passed  side  by  side  in  the  midst  of 
an  enemy's  camp  when  discovery  was  death  and  you  would 
not  take  a  mean  advantage  of  a  sleeping  foe.  Then  you 
were  with  Fremont  and  afterward  at  the  solitary  desert 
spring  of  Archilete,  when  you  all  stood  around  shocked  at 
the  horrid  spectacle  of  slaughter  which  met  your  eyes.  A 
whole  family  done  to  death  by  Indians.  Fremont  asked, 
"Who  will  follow  these  wretches  and  strike  them  in  their 
camp?"  It  was  you,  old  Kit,  and  Alexis  Godey  who  took 


288  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  trail;  a  long  and  weary  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles, 
you  followed  that  bloody  band.  You  two  attacked  in  broad 
daylight  a  hundred.  Killed  many  for  which  you  brought 
back  our  grizzly  mountain  vouchers  and  recovered  every 
stolen  horse  for  the  sole  survivor,  a  little  boy.  And  this 
you  did  in  pity  for  the  women  who  had  been  slain.  Oh !  wise 
of  counsel,  strong  of  arm,  brave  of  heart,  and  gentle  of 
nature  how  bitterly  you  have  been  maligned.1 

But  even  at  the  Tejon  it  was  not  always  sunshine 
as  the  following  characteristic  letters  of  the  Gen 
eral  to  Mrs.  Beale  show: 

TEJON  RANCHOS, 
TEJON,  CAL.,  Sunday,  October  17,  1886. 

MY  DEAREST  WIFE: 

This  has  been  the  saddest  day  I  ever  passed  on  the 
Rancho. 

When  I  got  here,  as  soon  as  I  had  washed  off  the  dust,  I 
went  to  see  my  old  friend  Chico.  He  knew  I  was  coming 

1  KENNETT  SQUARE,  PENNA. 

Sunday,  Aug.  27th,  1871. 
MY  DEAR  BEALE: 

Thank  you  heartily  for  writing,  as  well  as  for  sending  to  me,  your 
defence  of  Kit  Carson,  and  scarification  of  that  vulgar  fraud,  Joaquin 
Miller!  I  am  very  glad  to  have  my  own  immediate  impression  con 
firmed — that  the  fellow  really  knows  nothing  about  the  life  he  under 
takes  to  describe.  And  this  is  the  "great  American  poet"  of  the  English 
library  journals !  Why,  I  'd  undertake  to  write  a  volume  of  better  and 
truer  "songs  of  the  Sierras"  in  three  weeks!  We  authors  have  really 
fallen  in  evil  days,  when  such  stuff  passes  for  poetry.  However, 
patience  is  my  watchword;  we  have  but  to  wait  and  see  these  fictitious 
reputations  go  down  as  fast  as  they  go  up. 

How  are  you,  and  what  are  your  plans?  Can  we  not  meet  and  have 
an  Olympian  evening  together,  somewhere,  soon?  I  am  more  depend 
ent  on  circumstances  than  you  are,  but  I  can  still  make  them  bend  a  little, 
for  the  sake  of  an  old  friend.  Remember  me  kindly  to  all  your  family. 

Ever  affectionately, 

BAYARD  TAYLOR. 


Life  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  289 

and  had  been  waiting  for  me  all  day  most  anxiously.  When 
I  came  into  the  room  he  struggled  to  put  his  arms  around  my 
neck  but  was  too  weak  and  I  had  to  raise  his  hands  up  to  my 
shoulders.  He  looked  so  pleased  for  a  moment,  but  the 
excitement  of  my  coming  soon  left  him  and  he  began  to 
sink  rapidly.  I  sat  at  his  bed-side  with  his  hands  in  mine 
until  they  stiffened  in  Death. 

Just  before  I  came  he  asked,  "Has  not  the  Patron  come 
yet — I  hear  a  horse,  go  to  the  door  and  see."  It  proved  to 
be  my  horse  but  poor  dear  old  fellow  it  seemed  as  if  he  was 
only  holding  on  to  life  until  I  came  to  close  those  faithful 
eyes  which  had  watched  my  interests  so  carefully  for  so 
many  years.  Jimmy  Rosemire  told  me  this  morning  that 
in  speaking  to  him  a  few  days  ago  of  his  friends  he  said, 
"  I  have  no  friend  and  do  not  want  any  but  my  Patron,  and 
his  interests  are  all  the  business  I  have  in  life." 

How  we  shall  do  without  his  wise  counsel  and  knowledge 
I  do  not  know.  I  feel  inexpressibly  sad.  He  has  been  so 
true  and  faithful  these  many  long  years.  The  Tejon  without 
him  will  never  be  the  same  to  me. 

I  have  fixed  Tuesday  for  his  burial  and  the  place  at  the 
head  of  the  flower  garden. 

A  priest  will  come  for  the  occasion  and  everybody  includ 
ing  all  the  Indians  will  attend. 

Myself  and  Alex.  Godey,  Pogson  and  Lopez  will  act  as 
pall-bearers. 

Good  night,  my  dear  wife, 

Your  devoted  husband, 

E.  F.  BEALE. 

TEJON  RANCHOS, 
TEJON,  CAL.,  October  20,  1886. 

MY  DEAREST  WIFE  : 

We  buried  my  old  friend  Chico  yesterday. 

It  was  the  most  impressive  funeral  I  have  ever  seen.  I 
had  sent  to  Bakersfield  for  a  handsome  coffin  in  which  he 

19 


290  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

was  laid  at  his  house.     The  house  I  had  built  for  him  is 
about  a  mile  from  here  and  there  the  procession  formed. 

All  work  was  suspended  on  the  place.  Half  way  from 
his  house  I  met  the  procession,  accompanied  by  Pogson  and 
Godey.  The  coffin  was  borne  by  the  Vaqueros  who  relieved 
each  other  at  intervals.  In  front  was  carried  in  the  arms  of 
one  of  our  men  his  eldest  child.  All  the  Indians  and  men 
followed  chanting  in  Spanish  the  burial  service — the  men 
one  verse  and  the  women  another. 

I  never  heard  anything  so  solemn  and  sweet  as  this  chant. 
When  the  body  arrived  at  the  house  it  was  placed  in  the 
parlor,  where  it  was  permitted  to  all,  Indians  and  white 
people,  to  come  and  look  at  him  for  the  last  time. 

The  flower  garden  was  full  of  roses  and  other  beautiful 
flowers  which  soon  filled  the  coffin.  Here  at  intervals  the 
funeral  songs  and  hymns  of  the  Catholic  Church  were  sung 
as  before — the  women  and  men's  voices  in  alternate  verses. 

At  eleven  the  priest  arrived. 

Then  I  took  the  right  hand  side  of  the  coffin,  and  Godey 
the  left — the  middle  was  taken  by  Lopez  on  one  side  and 
Don  Chico  Lopez  on  the  other,  and  the  other  end  Pogson 
on  the  right  and  Rosemire  on  the  left,  and  we  bore  him  to 
his  grave  at  the  upper  end  of  the  flower  garden. 

The  priest  preached  a  sermon — very  appropriate  and 
performed  the  full  service  of  the  Church  and  all  was 
over. 

I  am  just  going  off  with  Pogson  for  the  day  and  will  write 
at  every  opportunity. 

Your  devoted  husband, 

E.  F.  B. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
LAST  YEARS 

General  Beale  Purchases  the  Decatur  House — Its  Dis 
tinguished  Occupants  and  Ghost  Story — Beale's  Politi 
cal  Activity — His  Untiring  Efforts  to  Help  the  Negro 
— Appointed  by  Grant  Minister  to  Austria — News 
paper  Comment  in  California — A  Bill  of  Sale  from 
Slavery  Days — Awkward  Diplomatic  Situation — The 
Emperor  and  Count  Andrassy — Friendship  of  Grant 
and  Beale — Their  Correspondence  Published — Arthur 
Fails  to  Appoint  Beale  Secretary  of  the  Navy — Grant's 
Resentment — Beale  Ends  the  Grant-Blaine  Feud — 
Last  Days — Beale's  Death — Scenes  in  Washington 
and  on  the  Tejon  Rancho. 

GENERAL  BEALE'S  Washington  residence, 
which  he  purchased  shortly  after  the  close 
of  the  war,  was  the  Decatur  mansion  on 
Lafayette  Square  and  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the 
White  House.     This  mansion,  which  has  played  an 
important  if  silent  part  in  the  life  of  the  National 
Capital,  was  designed  by  Latrobe,  one  of  the  archi 
tects  of  the  Capitol,  and   built  by  Commodore 
Decatur,  the  hero  of  the  Algerine  War,  in  the  early 
years  of  the  last  century,  and  here,  in  the  present 

library,  it  is  said,  Decatur  died  from  the  wound 

291 


292  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

which  he  received  in  his  duel  with  Commodore 
Barren. r 

Martin  Van  Buren  lived  here  when  elected 
President,  and  from  here  he  removed  into  the 
Executive  Mansion.  Henry  Clay,  Vice-President 
George  M.  Dallas,  and  the  British  and  Russian 
Embassies  were  among  its  distinguished  occupants 
before  the  house  passed  into  Gen.  Beale's  posses 
sion.  Its  exterior  is  of  an  old-fashioned  plan — a 
plain  three-storied  structure  of  painted  brick, 
without  ornamentation  of  any  kind,  but  with  a 
dignity  and  distinction  very  difficult  to  copy  or 
to  reproduce,  as  many  distinguished  Washington 
architects  have  learned  to  their  cost  and  to  the 
regret  of  their  clients. 

The  floor  of  the  ball-room,  which  is  on  the  second 
floor,  is  made  of  California  woods,  of,  it  is  said, 
twenty-two  thousand  pieces,  in  the  centre  being  a 
beautifully  inlaid  reproduction  of  the  arms  of  Cali- 

1  Another  correspondent,  this  time  an  old  Washingtonian,  writes  as 
follows  concerning  the  Decatur-Beale  house,  another  version  of  an 
historic  incident. 

"Mortally  wounded  by  Barron,  Commodore  Decatur  was  borne  home 
to  his  wife  and  died  in  the  small  south- wing  room  on  the  ground  floor. 
Of  course  that  room  is  haunted,  and  if  rumor  is  to  be  believed  it  is  not 
alone  the  impressionable  negro  servants  who  have  seen  the  figure  of  the 
Commodore  prowling  about  at  ghostly  hours,  with  ghastly  face  and 
blood-streaming  wound,  enveloped  in  the  inevitable  blue-luminous, 
terror-inspiring  mist." 

Many  tributes  are  also  paid  in  all  chronicles  of  Washington  life  to 
the  dignity  and  splendor  of  this  historic  mansion  during  the  years 
immediately  before  the  war,  when  it  was  occupied  by  Judah  P.  Ben 
jamin,  then  Senator  from  Louisiana,  and  afterwards  Attorney-General 
and  Secretary  of  State  of  the  Southern  Confederacy." — From  the 
Beale  papers. 


Last  Years  293 

f ornia.  The  house  was  so  spacious  and  furnished  in 
such  excellent  taste  that  it  never  seemed  crowded 
even  when  all  Washington  was  there  at  one  of 
Mrs.  Beale's  receptions,  nor  yet  encumbered  by 
the  number  of  historic  relics  which  it  contained, 
surpassing  as  they  did  in  their  number  and  value 
the  resources  of  several  of  Washington's  museums. 
Among  the  most  notable  of  these  historic  relics 
was  a  massive  silver  urn  presented  by  the  mer 
chants  of  London  to  Captain  Thomas  Truxtun  of 
the  United  States  frigate  Constellation  for  the 
capture  of  the  French  frigate  Insurgente,  44  guns, 
in  the  West  Indies  in  1799. 

They  were,  it  must  be  admitted,  very  forgiving, 
these  London  merchants  and  during  the  French 
War,  as  the  great  urn  testifies,  they  delighted  to 
honor  a  man  whom  a  few  years  before,  while  their 
shipping  suffered  from  his  roving  activity,  they  had 
denounced  as  a  pirate.  Then  there  were  in  strange 
corners  and  nooks,  which  General  Beale  would 
only  reveal  and  explore  with  his  young  son's  boy 
friends,  medals  to  Truxtun  and  to  George  Beale 
for  his  gallantry  in  the  fight  with  Macdonough  on 
the  Lake,  and  lances — fearful  and  awe-inspiring 
weapons  were  these  captured  from  the  Mexican- 
Calif  ornian  cavalry  at  the  battle  of  San  Pasqual, 
and  how  interesting  this  or  that  lance  was  because 
it  had  lodged  in  the  thigh  or  the  breast  of  those 
paladins  of  the  plains,  Godey  or  Kit  Carson! 

From  1 870  on,  when  he  began  to  spend  at  least  six 
months  of  the  year  in  the  Decatur  house,  General 


294  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

Beale  exerted  great  influence  politically  and  socially 
in  the  National  Capital.  He  was  elected  President  "of 
the  National  Republican  League,  and  never  spared 
his  time  or  his  money  in  furthering  the  cause  of 
good  government.  In  helping  upward  the  eman 
cipated  negro  he  was  more  useful  and  more  sincere 
than  many  a  man  whose  name  is  enshrined  in  the 
Walhalla  of  the  Abolition  cause.  He  rarely  spoke 
at  the  political  meetings  of  his  party  and  of  his 
friends;  for  this  purpose  there  were  speakers  in 
plenty  and  to  spare,  but  knowing  the  reluctance  of 
many  white  leaders  of  opinion  to  speak  at  the 
meetings  of  colored  men  at  this  period  he  never 
refused  a  call  of  this  description,  although  they 
came  frequently  and  compelled  journeys  to  out-of- 
the-way  places. 

From  his  earliest  years  Beale  had  strong  opinions 
on  the  slavery  question  and  did  what  he  could  to 
bring  about  a  settlement  of  the  vexed  question,  a 
legal  settlement  if  possible,  but  in  any  event  a 
settlement.  He  in  early  life  liberated  many  slaves 
and  among  his  papers  is  a  bill  of  sale1  for  a  negro 

1  UNITED  STATES  OF  NORTH  AMERICA, 
STATE  OF  TEXAS, 
CALHOUN  COUNTY, 

June  4,  1857. 

We,  Josiah  W.  Baldridge,  Daniel  P.  Sparks,  and  Joseph  H.  Baldridge, 
former  partners  and  now  in  liquidation,  known  and  designated  under 
the  style  and  firm  name  of  Baldridge,  Sparks  &  Co.,  have  this  day  sold, 
and  by  these  presents,  bargain,  sell,  and  convey  unto  Edward  F.  Beale, 
our  negro  man  named  Jourdan,  of  yellow  or  copper  color,  supposed  to  be 
from  twenty -five  to  thirty  years  of  age,  for  and  in  consideration  of  the 
sum  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  to  us  in  hand  paid  by  the  said 
Edward  F.  Beale,  the  receipt  of  which  is  now  acknowledged.  And  the 


Last  Years  295 

in  Texas  whom  he  learned  was  about  to  be  sold  into 
the  hands  of  a  cruel  task-master,  a  New  England 
man,  as  so  many  such  people  were.  Beale  pur 
chased  the  slave  and  set  him  free,  and  went  on  his 
way  rejoicing  that  he  should  have  been  given  the 
opportunity  of  bringing  happiness  to  a  fellow-being. 

At  all  times  and  particularly  in  the  early  'sev 
enties,  Beale  was  an  ardent  and  indefatigable 
student  of  the  profession  which  he  had  left  years 
before  with  so  much  reluctance.  He  knew  the  un 
satisfactory  condition  of  our  Navy,  as  far  as  the 
ships  were  concerned,  and  worked  and  wrote  in  the 
reviews  on  the  subject  in  the  hope  of  bringing  home 
to  Congress  and  the  people  an  appreciation  of  our 
national  weakness. 

In  1876  came  unexpectedly  Beale's  appointment 
as  Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipoten 
tiary  to  Austria- Hungary.  Ever  since  the  execu 
tion  of  the  Emperor  Maximilian,  by  Juarez,  our 
relations  with  the  reigning  house  and  with  the 
government  of  the  Dual  Monarchy  had  been  of  a 
perfunctory  rather  than  of  a  cordial  character,  and 
while  this  criticism  most  certainly  does  not  apply  to 
General  Beale's  immediate  predecessor,  the  Hon. 

said  Baldridge,  Sparks  &  Co.  covenant  and  agree  with  the  said  E.  F. 
Beale  that  said  boy  is  healthy,  sensible,  and  a  slave.  We  also  guarantee 
the  title  to  the  said  E.  F.  Beale  free  from  all  incumbrance  or  claims  of 
every  kind  or  description  whatever.  Claiming  through  us.  Witness 
our  hands  and  scrolls  for  seals  this  day  and  date  above  written. 

On  the  back  of  this  document  Beale  wrote: 

"I  bought  the  slave  referred  to  within  and  gave  him  his  freedom." 

E.  F.  B.— Beale  papers. 


296  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

John  Jay,  so  distinguished  in  letters  and  in  diplo 
macy,  it  is  quite  true  that  many  of  the  occupants 
of  this  important  post  in  the  service  had  been 
obscure  men  and  many  of  them  unfit  for  the  per 
formance  of  the  duties  which  were  incumbent 
upon  them. 

When  General  Beale  was  selected  by  General 
Grant  for  the  Austrian  Mission  the  appointment 
was  received  with  much  enthusiasm  in  California. 
The  San  Francisco  News-Letter  voiced  as  follows 
the  sentiment  which  prevailed  in  the  State : 

The  news  of  Ned  Beale's  appointment  to  be  Minister  to 
Austria,  succeeding  Mr.  John  Jay,  is  as  refreshing  as  a 
shower  of  rain — for  if  ever  there  was  a  typical  and  represen 
tative  Californian,  Ned  Beale  is  he.  Setting  out  in  life  a 
Lieutenant  in  the  Navy,  he  had  a  chance  to  fight  in  the 
Territorial  days  and  he  fought  like  the  devil.  Appointed  to 
look  after  the  Arizona  Indians  at  a  time  when  Arizona 
Indians  were  at  their  best  and  meanest,  he  polished  them 
off  and  taught  them  to  stand  around  in  such  style  that  they 
have  never  been  the  same  Indians  since. 

Those  were  days  when  Indians  were  Indians,  and  their 
only  use  for  a  Commissioner  was  to  scalp  him  on  sight.  In 
his  Arizona  administration  Beale  took  bigger  risks,  showed 
more  endurance,  underwent  more  trying  hardships  than 
any  other  man  whether  in  the  army  or  out  of  it.  He  out- 
scouted  any  scout  and  out-rode  any  mail-rider,  we  had  in 
the  service.  He  showed  himself  an  iron-man  put  up  with 
steel  springs  and  whalebone,  and  all  this  time  be  it  noted 
he  was  only  a  youngster. 

Finally,  the  war  came  and  Beale  went  Union  and  got 
thereby  the  Surveyor-Generalship  of  California.  Ned 
Beale  was  no  sentimentalist — not  by  the  longest  kind  of 


Last  Years  297 

odds.     He  was  born  with  a  head  on  his  shoulders,  was 
Edward,  and  he  never  laid  it  away  in  his  trunk. 

No  questions  of  great  international  impoitance 
arose  between  the  two  countries  during  General 
Beale's  stay  of  a  year  in  Austria,  but  nevertheless 
his  mission  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  show 
diplomacy  of  a  very  high  order.  When  General 
Beale's  name  was  submitted  to  the  Austrian 
Emperor  by  the  State  Department,  according  to 
diplomatic  usage,  the  report  upon  his  availability 
for  the  Austrian  Mission,  doubtless  supplied  by  the 
Austrian  Envoy  in  Washington  whose  acquaintance 
with  Beale  was  of  recent  date,  was  most  enthusi 
astic.  Later,  however,  when  Beale  had  been 
officially  accepted  and  indeed  was  on  his  way  to  his 
post,  Ball-haus  Platz,  the  Austrian  Foreign  Office, 
received  information  which  admitted  of  no  denial, 
and  indeed  none  was  ever  attempted,  that  General 
Beale  had  been  a  strong  sympathizer  with  and  a 
valued  supporter  of  the  Juarez  administration  in 
Mexico,  which,  after  the  capture  of  Queretaro,  had 
put  to  death  the  so-called  Emperor  Maximilian, 
the  younger  and  best-beloved  brother  of  that 
Emperor  to  whom  Beale  now  found  himself 
accredited. 

It  was  certainly  an  awkward  situation  and  the 
way  in  which  it  was  handled  was  most  creditable 
to  all  concerned.  Had  not  General  Beale's  name 
already  been  passed  on  favorably,  it  is  certain  that 
when  the  first  news  of  his  former  relations  with 
Juarez  and  the  Mexican  Liberal  generals  reached 


298  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  Foreign  Office  a  polite  but  prompt  refusal  to 
accept  the  new  envoy  would  have  followed;  how 
ever,  the  Emperor  received  General  Beale  appar 
ently  with  great  cordiality.  Every  honor  was 
paid  him  that  the  most  desired  and  most  welcome 
envoy  could  have  asked  for,  but  it  was  soon  evident 
that  the  Emperor  did  not  propose  cultivating  close 
relations  with  the  man  whom  he  certainly  regarded 
as  the  friend  of  his  brother's  murderers.  After  all 
the  American  Minister  could  transact  his  business 
at  the  Foreign  Office. 

It  was  fortunate  for  Beale  that  at  this — for  him 
— awkward  moment  such  an  able  and  intelligent 
man  as  the  famous  Count  Jules  Andrassy  presided 
over  the  Foreign  Office  of  the  Dual  Monarchy. 
A  few  days  after  the  reception  at  Court,  Beale  had 
his  first  serious  conversation  at  the  Foreign  Office 
and  Count  Andrassy  introduced  the  subject  of 
Mexico.  Perhaps  the  kindly  Hungarian  wished 
to  give  General  Beale  a  quiet  tip  as  to  the  reason 
of  the  frigid  atmosphere  into  which  chance  and  the 
careless  methods  of  the  American  State  Depart 
ment  had  steered  his  bark.  General  Beale  talked 
frankly  about  the  matter  as  though  it  had  not 
the  slightest  bearing  upon  his  personal  position. 
He  explained  what  he  knew  about  Mexico,  and  with 
equal  frankness  what  he  did  not  know.  Andrassy 
was  impressed  and  pleased.  The  next  day  he 
reported  to  the  Emperor.  "General  Beale  is  the 
only  man  who  has  ever  made  the  Mexican  tragedy 
clear  to  me.  You  should  speak  with  him,"  he 


Last  Years  299 

said .  A  summons  to  a  private  breakfast  at  Schoen- 
brunn  followed,  and  ever  afterwards  the  Emperor 
admitted  General  Beale  to  his  presence  upon  terms 
of  friendship  and  even  of  intimacy. 

General  Beale  was  always  inclined  to  credit  the 
dissipation  of  this  diplomatic  cloud  to  Count 
Andrassy 's  good  will.  Andrassy  naturally  loved 
conspirators.  In  early  life,  as  a  member  of  Kossuth's 
revolutionary  government  he  had  been  condemned 
to  death,  and  only  saved  himself  by  flight  to  Tur 
key.  In  later  life,  when  mellowed  by  the  lessons 
of  the  passing  years  and  with  direct  reference  to 
Andrassy,  the  Emperor  said:  "It  was  fortunate  for 
me  that  all  my  sentences  of  death  were  not  carried 
out.  I  should  have  lost  many  valuable  servants." 

When  the  year  elapsed  which  was  all  that  Gen 
eral  Beale  felt  he  could  give  to  the  Government  in 
view  of  his  many  and  pressing  interests  at  home, 
Mr.  Fish  was  able  to,  and  did,  write  the  departing 
envoy,  that  he  was  leaving  the  relations  of  the  two 
countries  on  a  very  different  basis  from  that  on 
which  he  had  found  them. 

In  Scribner's  Magazine  for  October,  191 1,  extracts 
from  General  Grant's  letters  to  General  Beale, 
charming  in  their  manly  simplicity,  were  published 
with  the  following  introductory  note: 

These  letters  were  written  by  Grant  to  his  friend  General 
Edward  F.  Beale  at  intervals  from  1877,  when  Grant  left 
Washington  and  went  upon  his  travels,  down  to  1885;  the 
last,  indeed,  was  penned  within  a  few  weeks  of  the  heroic 
end  of  the  great  commander  at  Mount  McGregor. 


300  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

The  letters  are  the  living  memorial  of  a  friendship  which 
began  in  California  in  the  early  fifties  and  which  twenty 
years  later  had  a  marked  influence  upon  the  course  of 
national  affairs.  Grant  had  the  gift  of  friendship,  and  his 
circle  was  not  small ;  but  to  the  Washington  of  the  seventies 
it  was  no  secret  that  of  all  his  personal  friends  the  one  he 
most  admired,  the  one  to  whom  he  always  listened  (and 
then  did  as  his  own  good  sense  dictated) ,  was  "Ned"  Beale 
(a  grandson  of  the  gallant  Truxtun),  who  with  Stockton 
conquered  California,  who  fought  Kearny's  guns  in  the 
desperate  battle  of  San  Pasqual,  who  gave  up  active  service 
in  the  Civil  War  at  Lincoln's  request  because  the  providen 
tial  President  knew  that  Beale' s  presence  in  the  debatable 
State  would  preserve  it  to  the  Union.  Beale  related  that  he 
first  saw  Grant  in  1848  in  the  Casino  on  the  Plaza  of  the 
City  of  Mexico  where  the  officers  used  to  gather  during  the 
American  occupation.  Beale  was  on  his  famous  ride  across 
Mexico,  bringing  the  news  of  the  conquest  of  California  and 
the  first  specimens  of  the  gold  that  had  been  newly  discov 
ered  in  the  City  of  Mexico.  He  stopped  for  a  few  hours  to 
change  horses  on  his  route  to  Vera  Cruz.  The  friendship 
of  Grant  and  Beale,  however,  really  dates  from  1853,  when 
Grant's  army  career  seemed  closed,  and  Beale,  having 
resigned  from  the  navy  that  he  might  provide  for  his  grow 
ing  family,  was  becoming  interested  in  the  wonderful 
development  of  the  Golden  State,  which  he  foresaw  like  a 
prophet  and  by  which  he  profited  like  a  wise  man. 

In  these  days,  when  Grant  was  unfortunate,  Beale  stood 
by  his  friend  with  both  word  and  deed.  They  walked  the 
Long  Wharf  together  and  ate  their  meals  at  the  "What 
Cheer"  House  when  San  Francisco  was  as  uncertain  of  its 
name  as  of  its  future. 

The  value  of  these  letters  is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  Grant 
was  a  reserved  man  and  a  somewhat  reluctant  correspond 
ent  ;  to  few  if  to  any  of  his  circle  of  intimates  did  he  open  his 
heart  as  he  did  to  his  old  comrade  and  house-friend  Beale. 


Last  Years  301 

Beale  while  at  home  as  well  as  abroad  had  con 
tinued  his  naval  studies.  While  in  Vienna  it  was 
said  of  him  that  he  would  travel  a  thousand  miles 
to  avoid  an  idle  function  and  twice  that  distance  to 
visit  an  interesting  navy  yard  or  a  stud  farm. 
Outside  of  the  Navy,  and  of  course  precedent  if  not 
the  law  makes  the  choice  of  a  naval  officer  to  head 
this  branch  of  the  Government  impossible,  there 
was  perhaps  at  this  time  no  one  in  the  country  so 
capable  of  beginning  the  reconstruction  of  the  Navy 
that  was  now  admittedly  an  imperative  necessity, 
as  General  Beale,  and  shortly  after  Mr.  Arthur 
became  President  General  Grant  urged  Beale's  ap 
pointment  as  Secretary  of  the  Navy  most  strenu 
ously.  However,  the  whole  Congressional  delegation 
from  New  England  demanded  the  appointment  for 
a  New  England  man,  Mr.  Chandler,  and  in  a  diffi 
cult  situation  and  with  evident  reluctance,  Presi 
dent  Arthur  yielded  to  the  political  pressure  which 
was  exerted.1 

Whatever  may  have  been  Grant's  feelings, 
General  Beale  was  certainly  not  embittered.  He 
remained  the  friend  and  adviser  of  the  successive 
Secretaries  of  the  Navy,  from  Chandler  to  Whitney 
and  Herbert,  and  when  the  new  Navy,  as  typified 

1  Ben  Perley  Poor  in  his  reminiscences,  Sixty  Years  of  the  National 
Metropolis,  says,  p.  449: 

"President  Arthur  in  his  desire  to  administer  his  inherited  duties 
impartially  made  himself  enemies  among  those  who  should  have  been 
his  friends — General  Grant  asked  that  his  personal  friend  General 
Beale  might  be  appointed  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  he  never  forgave 
President  Arthur  for  not  complying  with  his  request. " 


302  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

by  the  White  Squadron,  put  to  sea,  in  it  were  em 
bodied  as  many  of  the  ideas  of  General  Beale  as 
of  any  other  man. 

During  the  years  of  the  famous  feud  between 
Elaine  and  Grant,  General  Beale  made  several 
attempts  to  bring  them  together  for  the  good  of  the 
party  and  as  he  most  sincerely  thought  for  the  good 
of  the  country.  In  1883  the  party  managers  urged 
upon  Beale  renewed  attempts  to  bring  about  the 
long  frustrated  reconciliation,  stating  that  they 
regarded  it  as  a  sine  qua  non  to  Republican  success 
in  1884. 

General  Badeau  in  Grant  in  Peace  sheds  some 
light  upon  these  negotiations.  To  Badeau,  Grant 
wrote  in  October,  1883: 

"I  write  because  of  your  allusion  to  hearing  a  rumour  that 
Elaine  and  I  had  formed  a  combination  politically.  You 
may  deny  that  statement  peremptorily.  I  have  not  seen 
Elaine  to  speak  to  him  since  a  long  time  before  the  Conven 
tion  of  1880."  Grant  knew  that  I  was  anxious  for  him  to 
take  ground  in  favor  of  Elaine  [continues  Badeau].  Gen. 
Beale,  who  was  an  intimate  friend,  Senator  Chaff ee,  the 
father-in-law  of  one  of  Grant's  sons,  and  Elkins  all  desired 
the  same  result  but  were  unable  to  bring  it  about  at  this 
time. 

However,  Beale  was  undaunted,  and  at  last  suc 
ceeded  where  others  had  failed.  General  Grant  was 
staying  in  General  Beale's  house  and  Blaine  lived 
next  door  to  him  on  Jackson  Place.  Only  a  month 
intervened  before  the  election  when,  as  the  Beale 
papers  reveal,  Blaine  wrote  as  follows  to  General 


Last  Years  303 

Beale,  a  hasty  note  but  of  far-reaching  importance: 
"  My  dear  General: — It  will  give  me  great  pleasure 
to  call  on  General  Grant  at  your  house  at  any  time 
you  say." 

One  cold  October  afternoon  the  interview  took 
place  in  the  historic  drawing-room.  The  three 
party  leaders  sat  around  an  open  grate  fire  and 
the  feud  which  had  disrupted  the  Republican  party, 
or  probabty  only  typified  its  disruption,  was  buried. 

The  reconciliation,  however,  took  place  too  late. 
In  the  last  days  of  the  campaign  Grant  and  his 
adherents  developed  remarkable  strength,  and  it 
was  all  loyally  exerted  in  favor  of  Elaine,  but  in 
November  the  Plumed  Knight  went  down  in 
defeat.  A  new  god  had  arisen  in  Israel,  and  his 
name  was  Grover  Cleveland. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1893  General  Beale's  physi 
cal  powers  began  to  wane,  while  mentally  he  re 
mained  as  active  and  alert  as  ever.  On  April 
22d  the  long  expected  event  occurred  and  General 
Beale  passed  peacefully  away. 

The  press  of  the  country  recognized  General 
Beale's  death  not  only  as  that  of  a  distinguished 
and  remarkable  personality,  but  as  an  event 
marking  the  close  of  an  era.  The  day  of  the 
pathfinders  was  over,  and  the  papers  of  the 
country  without  exception,  from  Sandy  Hook  to 
the  Golden  Gate,  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  paid  eloquent  tribute  to  the  man  who  in 
so  many  ways  had  played  a  distinguished  part  in 


304  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 

the  winning  of  the  West  and  the  development  of 
the  Pacific  Empire.  The  Cabinet  and  the  Justices 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  the  scientists  of  the  Smith 
sonian  and  the  political  leaders  were  present  at  the 
simple  service  of  the  interment.  There  came  to  the 
bereaved  family  messages  from  crowned  heads,  from 
the  Courts  of  St.  Petersburg,  of  Vienna,  and  of 
Athens,  which  showed  that  those  who  ruled  by 
divine  right  could  still  recognize  the  rare  quality 
of  this  leader  of  men  who  had  come  to  the  front  by 
right  of  personal  achievement. 

Sympathetic  words  there  came  too  from  the 
humble  and  the  lowly,  from  the  trapper  and  the 
scout,  from  the  small  farmer  and  the  herder  who 
had  found  life  more  spacious  because  of  the  rich 
domain  of  Southern  California  which  more  than 
any  other  one  man  General  Beale  had  opened  to 
the  crowded  East. 

Down  on  the  Tejon  Rancho  in  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  there  still  lived  two  Indians  who  had  fol 
lowed  General  Beale  across  the  plains  when,  in  the 
heyday  of  youth  in  1847,  with  his  San  Pasqual 
wounds  still  open,  he  had  carried  the  news  of  the 
conquest  of  California  to  Washington.  These  men 
had  long  outlived  their  usefulness,  they  were  crip 
pled  by  the  weight  of  years  and  the  burden  of 
hardships  undergone,  but  the  Patron,  as  they 
called  the  General,  by  the  most  adroit  and  long 
sustained  diplomacy  had  always  succeeded  in  con 
vincing  them  that  they  could  still  do  a  day's  work 
with  the  best  and  more  than  earned  their  rations. 


Last  Years  305 

When  Raimundo  the  scout,  whom  even  Carson 
relied  upon,  heard  the  sad  news  that  the  wires 
brought  with  such  marvellous  rapidity  from  the 
Capital,  he  said  simply,  "I  do  not  care  to  live  any 
longer,"  dressed  himself  in  his  fete-day  clothes, 
wrapped  his  serape  about  him,  and,  stretched  out 
upon  his  blanket  in  the  sunshine  outside  his  adobe 
hut,  soon  passed  from  sleep  to  death. 

Juan  Mohafee,  the  incomparable  packer  who 
had  been  charged  with  the  General's  mules  on 
many  a  desert  journey,  was  all  bustle  and  excite 
ment.  He  told  every  one  that  the  General  would 
want  him  on  the  long  journey  that  lay  before  him, 
longer  indeed  than  any  they  had  ever  undertaken 
together.  "I  will  go,  too, "  he  said  decidedly  and 
then  with  a  touch  of  pride, ' '  I  may  be  able  to  help  him, 
he  always  said  I  could."  Juan  continued  his  active 
preparations  for  a  long  journey  and  when  not 
busily  engaged  in  furbishing  saddles  and  oiling 
creaking  packs  could  be  found  waiting  patiently 
under  the  spreading  fig  tree  outside  of  the  great 
house  where  he  had  awaited  the  coming  of  the 
Patron  so  often  in  the  earlier  active  years,  and  here 
now  his  children  found  him  one  morning,  but  his 
body  was  cold  and  his  faithful  soul  had  fled. 

20 


306  Edward  Fitzgerald  Beale 


THE  FOLLOWING  IS  THE  OFFICIAL  RECORD  OF 
GENERAL  BEALE'S  PUBLIC  SERVICES 

Appointed  Midshipman  in  the  Navy,  from  Georgetown  College, 
December  14,  1836. 

Ordered  to  duty  on  the  Independence,  the  Receiving  Ship  at  Phila 
delphia,  which  served  at  the  time  as  Naval  School,  in  February,  1837. 

Warranted,  March,  1839. 

Ordered  to  the  West  Indian  Squadron,  September  19,  1840. 

Ordered  to  the  Naval  School,  Philadelphia,  in  August,  1841. 

Commissioned  Passed-Midshipman  and  ordered  to  Porpoise,  August, 
1845. 

Ordered  to  Frigate  Congress  as  Acting  Master,  October  2,  1845. 

Returned  from  Pacific  and  placed  on  waiting  orders,  June  2,  1847. 

Ordered  to  Fortress  Monroe  as  witness  in  Colonel  Fremont's  trial, 
September  29,  1847. 

Commissioned  as  Master,  February  28,  1850. 

Commissioned  Lieutenant  in  Navy,  August  3,  1850. 

Resignation  from  Navy  accepted,  March  5,  1851. 

Appointed  in  1852  by  President  Fillmore,  Superintendent  of  Indian 
Affairs  in  California  and  Nevada. 

In  1857  was  appointed  by  President  Buchanan,  Superintendent  of  the 
Wagon-Road  Expedition  from  Fort  Defiance,  New  Mexico,  to  the 
Colorado  River. 

In  1858  by  President  Buchanan  to  command  wagon-route  survey 
along  35th  parallel  from  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  to  California. 

1859-60,  in  charge  of  wagon-road  construction  on  central  plains. 

1861,  appointed  by  Lincoln,  Survevor-General  of  California  and 
Nevada. 

1865,  resigned  position  of  Surveyor-General. 

1876,  appointed  by  President  Grant,  Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minis, 
ter  Plenipotentiary  to  Austria-Hungary. 


INDEX 


Abiquiu,  88 

Acting  Master,  Commissioned,  5 

Agassiz  and  the  Capiniche,  49 

Albuquerque,  238,  253 

Allston,  Lieut.,  192 

Amargosa  (Bitter  Creek),  158,  276 

Ammen,  Daniel,  Letter  from,  48 

Andrassy,  Count  Jules,  298 

Angosturas,  235 

Antelope  Hills,  235 

Antelope  Valley,  276 

Apispah  River,  76 

Aqua  Caliente,  Rancho  of,  12 

Aqua  del  Tio  Meso,  158 

Aqua  del  Tomaso,  160 

Aqua  Escarbada,  157 

Arapahoe  Indians,  73 

Archilete,  Felipe,  82,  98 

Archilete's  Spring,  158,  287 

Argonauts,  the,  276 

Arkansas  River,  74,  232 

Armistead,  Major,  251 

Army  of  the  Center,  the,  10 

Army  of  New  Mexico,  the,  262 

Army  of  the  West,  the,  10 

Arthur,  President,  301 

Artificial  Horizon,  the,  248 

Aspinwall,  Mr.,  46 

Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe 

Railroad,  34 

Austrian  Rifles  for  Mexico,  269 
Avonkarea  River,  95,  133 


Badeau,  General,  270 

Bakersfield,  273,  283 

Baldridge,  Sparks  &  Co.,  294 

Ball-haus  Platz,  297 

Bancroft,  George,  9 

Barnum,    P.    T.,    offers    to    buy 

Beale's  gold,  47 
Barrera,  Jose  de  la,  269 
Barrera,  Pedro,  269 
Barron,  Commodore,  292 

307 


Beale,  E.  P.,  Letter  from  the  Raton 
Mountains,  49;  description  of 
Transcontinental  Route,  51; 
Conspiracy  against,  186;  Ap 
pointed  Minister  to  Hungary, 
295;  Bravery  told  by  Kit  Car 
son,  30;  Letter  to  the  Senate, 
177;  Report  on  the  Indians,  179; 
Recommendations,  185;  Letter 
to  his  children,  274;  Letter  to 
his  wife,  289;  Punishes  a  slan 
derer,  189;  Letter  to  Governor 
of  California,  191;  Letter  from 
El  Paso,  201 ;  Journey  from  Fort 
Smith,  241;  Report  to  Con 
gress,  21 1 ;  Journal,  112;  217, 
241  ;Report  to  Secretary  of  War, 
230;  Faith  in  California,  59; 
Profits  in  Transportation,  62; 
near  death,  14;  meets  Pico,  17; 
and  Carson  go  to  San  Diego, 
21 ;  meets  Frdmont,  23;  appoin 
ted  Superintendent  of  Indians, 
64 

Beale,  George,  father-  of  Edward 
F.,  i;  Medal  presented  to,  293; 

"Beale's  Crossing,"  239 

Beall,  Col.  B.  L.,  194 

Beall,  George,  247 

Benjamin,  Judah  P.,  292 

Benton's  Speech,  15;  Letter  to 
Secretary  Mason,  31;  Letter  to 
Beale,  170,  171,  187 

Bigler,  John,  182 

Big  Rock,  276 

Bill  William's  Divide,  213 

Blaine-Grant  Feud,  302 

Blaine,  James  G.,  302 

Blake,  Major,  79 

Blondin,  255 

Boggy  River,  232 

Boone,  Daniel,  grandfather  of  Kit 
Carson,  27 

Bonncville  Journals,  210 


308 


Index 


Bradford  Diary,  209 
Briones,  Ramond,  177 
Brown,  Richard,  76 

(Dick  the  Delaware) 
Brown,  Thomas,  261 
Buchanan,  James,  54 
Buffaloes,  first  sight  of,  71 
Byre,  Col.  Edward,  192 


Cajon  Pass.  164 

California,  the  rush  to,  38;  Expedi 
tion  to,  67 

Calif ornians  revolt,  n 

Callao  Harbor,  Beale  rejoins  ship 
at,  7 

Camel  Corps,  Beale's,  199;  tan 
dem  team,  207 

Camels,  Arrival  of,  201;  Beale 
buys,  207 

Canadian  River,  232 

Canby,  Gen.,  death  of,  195 

"Capitanoes,"  125 

Carnero  Pass,  109 

Carson,  Kit,  Beale  meets,  n,  199, 
276,  279;  described  by  Sher 
man,  27;  appointed  Lieutenant, 
31;  Revenge,  158;  Beale's  De 
fence  of,  284 

Carson's  Ride,  Kit,  284 

Cedar  Bluffs,  217 

Cedar  City,  Coal  found  at,  145 

Cerenoquinti,  the,  132 

Chandler,  Secretary,  301 

Chase,  Letter  to  Secretary,  261, 
264;  Letter  from,  263 

Chester,  Pa.,  4,  255,  272 

Cheyenne  Indians,  73 

Chico,  Anton,  236;  death  of,  288 

Chihuahua,  143 

Choctaws,  the,  253 

Choteau's  Trading  Post,  234 

Chupainas,  235 

Civil  War,  Outbreak  of  the,  251 

Clay,  Henry,  292 

Cleveland,  Grover,  303 

Clifford,  Nathan,  Minister  to 
Mexico,  45 

Cocomongo  Rancho,  166 

Colorado  River,  91,  no,  221 

Colorado  Mountain,  249 

Col  ton,  Rev.  Walter,  6;  appointed 
Alcalde,  35 

Comanche  Indians,  176 

Conchas  River,  231 


Congress  44,  the,  5,  9,  52 
Constellation,  the,  5,  293 
Coochatope  Pass,  83 
Coochumpah  Pass,  85 
Cordova,  Juan,  deserts,  128 
Cosgrove,  J.,  67 
Council  Grove,  69 
Cuchada,  a  small  stream,  78 


Dallas,  George  M.,  292 

Davis,  Jefferson,    favors    camels, 

200,  206,  255 

Death  of  General  Beale,  303 
Death  Valley,  199 
Decatur   Mansion,    Purchase   of, 

291 

Deck  and  Port,  6 
Diamond  of  the  Desert,  156 
Diaz,  President,  271 
Dick,  the  Delaware,  68,  76,  131, 

163,  241 
District  of  Columbia,  Birthplace 

at,  I 

Dolan,  Patrick,  82 
Draft    Suspended   in    California, 

258 


Eagle  Range,  87 

Edwards,  Mary,  53 

Edwards,  Samuel,  54 

Elbow  Creek,  192 

Eldorado  by  Bayard  Taylor,  58 

Elizabeth  Lake,  276 

El  Moro,  247 

El  Paso,  Texas,  201 

Epaulettes  and  sword  presented 

to  Beale,  26 
Executive    Documents    Nos.    42 

and  124,  208 
Express  Charges,  218 


Farraguts,  the,  4 

Field,  The,  139 

Fillmore,  President,  64 

Fitzpatrick,  Major,  73 

Floyd,  Dr.,  241 

Floyd,  Hon.  J.  B.,  202;  Letter  to, 

217,  241 

Floyd's  Peak,  239 
Foote,  Senator.  46 
Fort  Arbuckle,  232 
Fort  Atkinson,  73 


Index 


309 


Fort  Defiance  to  the  Colorado, 
from,  208 

Fort  Leavenworth,  Army  of  the 
West  at,  10 

Fort  Smith,  Ark.,  to  the  Colorado, 
208,  231,  233,  253 

Fort  Tejon,  206,  227 

Fort  Yuma,  213,  228 

Four  Creeks,  147 

France  and  Lower  California,  262 

Frank  Murray's  Peak,  226 

Franklin,  Sir  John,  54 

Fremont,  n,  159,  170,  276;  Me 
moirs,  quoted,  22;  description 
of  Grand  River,  91 

French  Invasion,  266 


Gadsden  Purchase,  the,  262 

Gallengo,  Jose,  121,  150 

Garcia,  Jesus,  68,  82 

General  Jesup,  steamer,  228 

Georgetown  College,  Beale 
attends,  3 

Germantown,  Sloop  of  War,  45 

Gillespie,  Captain,  12 

Grand  River,  87,  90,  128 

Grant,  General,  270;  Letters  to 
Beale,  299;  death  at  Mt.  Mc 
Gregor,  299 

Grant  in  Peace,  by  Badeau,  270 

Gregorio,  Interpreter,  193 

Grizzly  bears,  165 

Godey,  Alexis,  the  Scout,  13,  287; 
Revenge,  158 

Gold,  Beale  brings  first,  43;  placed 
on  Exhibition,  47 

Greenbank,  Home  at,  4,  47 

Green  River  Fork,  134 

Grinnell,  Henry,  54 

Guadalajara,  44 

Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  Treaty  of, 
251,  261 

Guaymas,  Port  of,  262 

Gum  Spring,  251 

Gunnison,  Col.  J.  W.,  172 


Harmony,  Rear- Admiral,  6,  62 

Harper's  Weekly,  284 

Harry  Edwards'  Mountain,  239 

Hawkins  Gun,  287 

Heap,  Gwinn  Harris,  Journal  by, 

67;  continues  Journal,  122 
Heath,  Lieutenant,  70 


Herbert,  Secretary,  301 
Hitchcock,  Gen.    E.    A.,    Letter 

from,  167,  182 
Hoffman,  Col.,  250 
Howards  Spring,  218 
Hue's,  Abbe,  Travels  in  China  and 

Tartary,  199,  216 
Hudson,  Mr.,  274 
Huerfano  Butte,  77 
Huerfano  River,  76 


Indian  Creek,  68,     79 

Indian  Murders,  218;  herders,  272; 
Marksmanship,  119;  Horse  rac 
ing,  1 20 

Indian  Territory,  232 

Indianola,  Texas,  201 

Indians,  taunted  by  the,  129 

Inscription  Rock,  241 

Insurgents,  Frigate,  293 


Jackson,    Andrew,    first    meeting 

with  Beale,  3 
Jackson,  Lieutenant,  79 
Jacksonians,    Beale's    Battle    for 

the,  2 

ames,  Col.,  265 
aroso  Creek,  87 
ay,  John,  296 
ohnson,  Captain,  13,  228 
ohnson,  Major,  73 
ones,  Catesby,  48 
ones,    Commodore,    52;    Report 
by,  36;  Caricatured  by  Beale, 

39 

Jones,  William  Carey,  45 
Jordan,  Captain,  168 
Jornada,  first,  155 
Jourdan,  Negro  Slave,  294 
Juarez  Government,  263,  295 


Kane,  Expedition,  the,  54 

Kanzas,  67 

Kearny,  Colonel,  10, 276;  attacked 

by  Calif ornians,  13 
Kerlin,  F.  E.,  227 
King  River  Reservation,  193 

Laguna,  Crossing  the,  89 
Lagunas,  Timber  of  the,  236 
La  Paz,  Port  of,  262 


3io 


Index 


La  Sierra  del  Aquila,  87 

Las  Vegas  de  Santa  Clara,  99, 
147;  Mormons  at,  133,  138 

Latrobe,  Architect,  291 

Lee,  Captain,  218 

Leiper,  George  G.,  54 

Leiper,  Samuel  L.,  54 

Lente,  Juan,  97 

Leroux,  Antoine,  70,  74,  82,  in 

Lewis  &  Clark,  210 

Liberals  of  Mexico,  271 

Liebre  Rancho,  277 

Lincoln  appoints  Beale  Surveyor 
General,  208,  256;  Beale's  Let 
ter  to  President,  259;  joke  of, 
277 

Little  Axe,  241 

Little  Colorado  River,  238 

Little  Rock,  253 

Little  Salt  Lake  Valley,  138,  276 

Livingston,  Lieutenant,  192 

Loeser,  Lieutenant,  40 

Lopez,  Don  Chico,  290 

Los  Angeles  Papers,  extract  from, 
205 

Los  Angeles,  Valley  of,  164;  Arrival 
at,  167 

"Lost  Mountains,"  283 

Lower  California,  Peninsula  of, 
261 

Lynch,  Judge,  285 

Lynch,  W.  P.,  letter  from,  56 


McDonough,  Commodore,  I 

McDowell,  General,  275 

McKee,  Agent,  Criticism  by,  184 

Madrid,  Gregorio,  68 

Magruder,  Dr.,  80 

Maria,  Brig.  Beale  takes  passage 
in  the,  6 

Marysville  Stage,  the,  62 

Mason,  Colonel,  41 

Mason,  Secretary  of  Navy,  31 

Massachusetts,  Fort,  79 

Matamoras,  Taylor  at,  10 

Maury,  M.  F.,  letter  from,  58 

Maximilian,  Emperor,  270,  295 

Mazatlan,  Mexico,  42 

Mediterranean,  Cruise  to  the,  5 

Mes,  Ramon,  177 

Methodist  Mission  at  Council 
Grove,  69 

Mexican  Revolution,  261 ;  Fron 
tier  Lines,  266 


Mexico,  Situation     in,     9;     War 

with,  10 

Miller,  Joaquin,  284 
Mobile  Register,  the,  quoted,  32 
Modocs,  treatment  of,  195 
Mohafer,  Juan,  death  of,  305 
Mohave  Plains,  283 
Mohaveh  River,  141,  162 
Mohaves,  the,  250 
Monroe,  Captain,  13 
Monterey,  Mexico,  277 
Mormon  Settlements,  99 
Mosquitoes,  Sufferings  from,  94 
Mount  Benton,  224 
Mount  Buchanan,  224 
Mountain  Sheep,  85 
Murieta,  Joaquin,  279 


Namaquasitch,  Camp  at,  103 
National  Intelligencer,  the,  171 
National      Republican      League, 

Beale  President  of,  294 
Navajoes,  248 
Navy,  Interest  in  the,  295 
Navy,  Application  to  enter  the,  3 
Neosha,  town  of,  237 
Nordhoff,  Charles,  278;  Dedicates 

book  to  Beale,  278 
North  Fork  Town,  232 


Ohio,  the,  5,  38 
Ojo  del  Gaetan,  155 
Ojo  Pescado  Spring,  247 
Otterby,  Charles,  no 
Otterby,  Thomas,  no 
Owen's  River,  147 


Pah-Utahs,  the,  138,  147;  Chil 
dren  of,  141;  Horse  thieves,  147; 
Billingsgate,  156 

Palo  Alto,  Battle  of,  10 

Paragoona,  138 

Para  wan,  139 

Pareamoot  Mountains,  91 

Paredes  Army,  43 

Patron,  the,  283 

Pawnee  Fork  of  the  Arkansas,  73 

' '  Pawnee  Rock, "  73 

Payute  Wheat,  154 

Pecos,  235 

Philadelphia  Press,  quoted,  54, 
251,260 


Index 


Pico,  Don  Andres,  14 

Piegan,  the,  Massacre,  196 

Pike's  Peak,  76 

Pinole,  113 

Pioneers'  Library,  Destroyed  by 

fire,  257 
"Pite,"  156 

Polk,  President,  31,  261 
Polly,  Aunt,  and  the  Wonderful 

Coat,  4 
Polygamy  among  the  Mormons, 

146 

Poor,  Ben  Perley,  301 
Porpoise,  the,  5 
Porter,  David  Dixon,  200 
Porters,  the,  4 
Poteau  Creek,  232,  253 
Powers,  Jack,  279 


Queretaro,  Battles  of,  271 

Raimundo,  death  of,  305 
Republican,  Letter  in  the,  195 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  10 
Rich,  Paymaster,  37 
Riggs,  Elisha,  67,  70 
Riggs,  William,  67,  74 
Rio  Atascoso,  153 
Rio  Hondo  (Deep  Creek),  no 
Rio  de  la  Cibolos,  85 
Rio  de  la  Laguna,  89 
Rio  de  la  Virgen,  in,  151 
Rio  de  las  Gallinas,  233 
Rio  del  Moro,  the,  136 
Rio  del  Norte,  83,  238 
Robbers,  Trouble  with,  275 
Robinson,  Lieutenant,  70 
Rodgers,  Raymond,  49,  80 
Rogers,  William,  67 
Rosemire,  Jimmy,  289 
Roubindeau's  Pass,  78 
Rucker,  Major,  70 


Sacramento,  Camp  in  the  Val 
ley  of  the,  22 

Sacramento,  214 

Sahwatch  Creek,  83,  107;  Valley, 
83;  Mountains,  123 

St.  Louis  Republican  quoted,  253 

St.  Vrain,  Mr.,  in 

Salado,  the  Camp  on,  137 

Salinas,  the,  268 

Salt  Spring  Gold  Mines,  158 


San  Antonio,  Camels  start  from, 
202 

San  Bernardino,  14,  147, 165 

San  Bois,  232 

San  Felipe,  233 

San  Francisco  fire,  257;  Mountain, 
239;  News- Letter  quoted  296; 
papers,  Interview  by,  276 

Sangre  de  Cristo  Pass,  77;  Moun 
tains,  77 

San  Joaquin  River,  23;  Valley, 
279 

San  Luis  Valley,  78,  83 

San  Pasqual,  Battle  of,  13,  293 

San  Pedro,  165 

San  Rafael,  136 

Santa  Ana  Creek,  164 

Santa  Fe,  Capture  of,  10;  254 

Savoya,  Valley  of  the,  117 

Schoenbrunn,  Breakfast  at,  299 

Scott,  General,  263 

Scott  Valley,  Massacre  at,  190 

Scribner's  Magazine,  quoted,  299 

Sebastian,  Senator,  Speech  by, 
176 

Secession,  257 

Secret  Mission,  6 

Seward,  Secretary,  270 

Seymour,  Admiral,  8 

Shasta,  Massacres  at,  190 

Shepherds  in  California,  281 

Sheridan,  General,  270 

Sherman,  General  W.  T.,  27 

Sierra  Mojada,  75,  80 

Sierra  Nevada,  227 

Simms,  George,  68,  98 

Sixty  Years  of  the  National  Metro 
polis,  301 

Skullyville,  253 

Slave  freed  by  Beale,  294 

Smith,  Col.  G.  A.,  142 

Smith's  Narrative,  209 

Snyder,  Jake,  24 

Sonora,  Mexico,  143,  264 

Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  283 

Spiller,  Dr.,  241 

Spring  of  Uncle  Meso,  158 

Stockton,  California,  214 

Stockton,  Commodore,  7,  276; 
sends  Beale  to  Washington,  26; 
Engages  in  business,  60 

Stockton-Fremont-Kearny  Con 
troversy,  12 

Supply,  Store  Ship,  200 

Sutter  Discovers  Gold,  36 


Index 


Taos,  San  Fernando  de,  81,  100, 
in 

Taylor,  Bayard,  Letter  from,  58, 
288;  Dedicates  book  to  Beale, 
278 

Taylor,  General,  10 
Tehatchapie  Pass,  283 
Tejon  Rancho,  272 
Thompson,  Smith,  Letter  from,  2 
Thorburn,  Lieut.,  216,  222 
'"Three-fingered"  Jack,  279 
Trinity  River  Massacre,  184 
Truxtun,  Commodore,  i,  4;    Pre 
sented   with   Silver   Urn,    293; 
Truxtun,  Emily,  Mother  of  Ed 
ward  F.  Beale,  I 
Tulare  Lake,  275 
Tulare  Valley,  147,  214 
Tule  River  Reservation,  282 
Turkey  Creek,  70 
Turner,  Captain,  13 


Uncompagre  River,  90,  121 

Upshur,  Rear-Admiral,  6 

Utah  Creek,  80 

Utahs,  Murders  by  the,  88;  Meet 
ing  with  the,  104;  Trouble  with 
the,  127 


Vallejo,  182 

Van  Buren,  Martin,  292 


Vega,     General    Placido,     Letter 

from,  266,  268 
Vega  Quintana,  155 
Vera  Cruz,  45 
Vicksburg,  Grant  at,  270 
Visalia,  277;  Rising  at,  190 


Wagner,  J.,  67 

Walkah,  Indian  Chief,  142;  De 
clares  War,  142 

Walker,  Joe,  143 

Walker's  Pass,  143 

"Wanderer"  writes  to  Philadel 
phia  Press,  251 

Washita  Valley,  234 

West  Indies,  Cruise  to,  5 

Westport,  Mo.,  the  Start  from,  67 

"What  Cheer"  House,  300 

Whig  Leaders,  Council  of  the,  263 

Whipple,  Lieut.,  240 

White  Squadron,  the,  302 

Whitney,  Secretary,  301 

Willow  Creek,  87 

Wilson,  Mr.,  Indian  Agent,  166 

Winchester  Mountains,  251 

Wool,  General,  10, 191 


Young,  Brigham,  139 
Young,  Henry,  67, 132 


Zuni,  212,  238,  247 


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